


Goals

by IAmAshamedOfMyFanfics (faraandmera)



Series: The ones where people voted on the results [5]
Category: ASTRO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Arranged Marriage, Eventual Romance, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Gen, Happy Ending, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, One-Sided Relationship, bin is somehow worse at keep secrets than mj or sanha so theres that, don't worry about the series theyre all standalone stories, dongmin doesnt make good choices, hes doing his best, sanha suggests bad choices, theres just- a lot going on
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-10-18
Packaged: 2019-11-17 22:28:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18107756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faraandmera/pseuds/IAmAshamedOfMyFanfics
Summary: Dongmin has a goal: dating one Park Jinwoo.Unfortunately he doesn't actually have a plan.Fortunately, Sanha is willing to help.Unfortunately, he's Sanha.Dongmin's crush is just strong enough that he actually agree's to Sanha's plan, despite himself.





	1. Plan A

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey look at me, doing a story with voting elements that DOESN'T have the risk of death  
> who am I
> 
> and it's back to astro. i just couldn't stay away.  
> yes eunwoo is the protagonist again  
> no i don't have a problem  
> probably.
> 
> obviously you don't gotta participate in the voting part if you just wanna see where this goes
> 
> this chapter is mostly establishing what everyone's relationships are at the start, but not necessarily what the end result will be. and if it's confusing, the end notes will summarize it again  
> (but read the chapter first?)
> 
> anyway...i have no excuse for this story

Most people will have a lot of goals, over the course of their life. Whether those be life-long, or hour-long goals. Whether they’re easy to accomplish, or something that takes extreme dedication. Whether their realistic, or forever left unfulfilled. Over one’s lifetime, they’ll probably have lots of goals.

When it comes to one Lee Dongmin, he has a goal, right now. One that may or may not be realistic; he has yet to figure that much out. He considers it, while sitting over course work that he should probably be doing. (His professor for the course is actually one he likes, too, so he isn’t fond of the idea of failing their class. Still, his mind wonders. His college education nearly forgotten.) With a sigh, Dongmin grabs a mostly-empty piece of paper- there’s a reminder written on it, from weeks earlier- and starts sorting out the facts and obstacles surrounding his goal.

 

 **Goal:** It’s a small one- something that really shouldn’t occupy so much of his mind- but the goal is _**dating one Park Jinwoo.** _(His friend and sometimes-classmate.)

 

**Obstacles:**

  1. _**Myungjun**_. Jinwoo’s best- and oldest- friend, whom he spends nearly all his time with. The two aren’t dating, or anything. (Dongmin isn’t the type to try and break up someone’s relationship, and especially not two of his friends.) They are, however, nearly-life-long best friends, who spend so much of their time together it’s hard to get either of them alone.
  2. Dongmin may or may not be engaged. And by that, he means, he’s definitely _**engaged**_. It’s an _arranged_ marriage, to be fair, and one he thinks he could convince his parents to break, if he _and_  his to-be spouse found romantic partners they were clearly, indisputably, in love with. The problem with that is who he’s engaged to. One _**Park Minhyuk**_ who has never, in his life, been any help to Dongmin. (That’s not entirely true, he’s given Dongmin more than one ride home after some horrible attempt at acting like a “normal” teenager, back when they were both in high school. Minhyuk is, despite being the younger of them, often good at acting like he’s more mature than Dongmin. He _isn’t_ , but he’s good at pretending he is.)
  3. _**Moon Bin.**_ His classmate and roommate who has never, in the entire time Dongmin has known him, been known to keep a secret. Not out of a lack of trying, he's just bad at it. And, because he’s friends with one Yoon Sanha, Bin’s inability to keep secrets meant that, if he knew of any plan, he’d likely tell Sanha who would- without anyone to stop him- tell Myungjun, at least, if not Jinwoo, too.
  4. Jinwoo’s inherent _**obliviousness**_ , meaning he wont react unless he’s either highly motivated to, or is told the truth directly. (And Dongmin is absolutely not able to tell him, directly. Especially not when he can’t get a moment alone with Jinwoo.)



 

**Potential Solutions:**

  1. If Sanha knows the plan from the start, and Dongmin bribes him with food, he might keep quiet. That didn’t solve the Bin problem, but keeping secrets from Bin was surprisingly easy, despite living with him. Bin can be incredibly oblivious. (The question, then, is how to make Sanha a part of the plan, so he was motivated not to talk about it.)
  2. Bin and Minhyuk could, potentially, both be the solution to the problems each other create. There are only two people Dongmin has ever seen Minhyuk seem remotely interested in, and those are Bin and Sanha. He’s not sure how the other feels _now_ , but that’s a start, potentially. If those two got together, it would solve that problem. (He would mark Sanha as a potential solution for this, too, if it wasn’t for the fact that it would leave Bin unoccupied.)
  3. ~~Distract Myungjun? Somehow?~~
  4. ~~Talk to Jinwoo?~~
  5. ~~Find a role for Sanha?~~
  6. ~~Don’t die from embarrassment or anxiety?~~
  7. ~~Confess probably at some point?~~!
  8. _Wait, are these even solutions anymore?_



 

**Plan of action:**

  1. ????
  2. Set Bin and Minhyuk up? Maybe?
  3. ?????
  4. He has nothing.



 

Dongmin breathes heavy sigh, dropping his head onto his desk. He doesn’t have a plan. Doesn’t have even the _beginnings_ of a plan, despite all his thinking about it. And, more than that, he didn’t even know if any of his potential solutions are possible, in the first place. Did Bin like Minhyuk? Did Minhyuk still like Bin? Was Sanha going to take bribery?

Is Dongmin an idiot? Well, he’s pretty sure the answer to that is _no_ , but also _yes, probably_.

Which is exactly why, at ten in the evening, Dongmin calls Sanha and asks the other to hang out. They meet in a small restaurant, just off-campus. Sanha eagerly takes Dongmin’s offer of free food, not seeming at all suspicious. At least until Dongmin starts talking.

“So, Sanha…”

“Yeah?” Sanha looks up from where he’s shoving his third pastry into his mouth. Eyes narrow, suspicion clear. As if Dongmin hadn’t just bought him food.

“How would you like to help me with something?”

“I wont kill anyone.”

“It’s not murder.”

“Oh, then okay.” Sanha nods, and Dongmin has to wonder why his first thought was that Dongmin wanted to _kill someone_. “What is it?”

“I may or may not-” meaning he does- “want to date Jinwoo.”

“Gross.”

_“What?!”_

“You’re asking me for help with your love life. It’s gross.”

“Oh. Oh you meant me asking you for help. Okay.”

“What did you think I meant?”

“Either the idea of us dating, or Jinwoo himself.”

“I’m not _that_ mean.” Sanha shrugs. Dongmin briefly considers if Sanha is trying to say that’s _also_  true, and he just would never say it, or if he really doesn’t think that’s the case.

“Well, anyway, I need a plan.”

“Aren’t you engaged?”

“Technically.” Dongmin shrugs. “But I have a solution to that.”

“Which is?” Sanha draws the word, “is,” out until Dongmin stops him by replying.

“Which _is_ to get Minhyuk into a relationship, too, so our parents go, “ _fine you don’t have to get married_ ,” or something.”

“In a relationship with who?”

“Bin?”

“Why?!” Sanha’s voice raises what must be at least three octaves, and Dongmin flinches.

“Sanha!” Dongmin smacks him over the head, lightly. Not enough to actually hurt, but enough that Sanha pouts about it.

“Sorry?”

“What’s wrong with those two dating?” When Sanha doesn’t reply to that, Dongmin narrows his eyes at the other. “Sanha?”

“Nothing.”

“Okay… well…”

“Right, you want to date Jinwoo.”

“Yeah.”

“Make him jealous?”

“But he has to already like me for that to work.”

“If he doesn’t already like you, wont your plan fail anyway?”

“Oh.” Dongmin can’t actually argue with that. So he doesn’t. sits there in silence, a moment. Considering what he’ll do if that is the case. Give up his goal, of course, because he can’t _force_  Jinwoo to like him. But what will he do with his _feelings_ , if that’s the case? “I guess you’re right.”

“So make him jealous. Plan done. Sanha’s a genius.”

“Don’t talk about yourself in the third person. How would I even make him jealous?”

“You _are_  engaged.”

“I’m not going to use Minhyuk for that.”

“Then- uh- I don’t know? Put some tropes in your life and pretend to date someone, or something.”

Sanha is joking, obviously. Dongmin knows that. Pretending to date someone is a horrible idea. The kind of stuff that exclusively happens in fiction- or between people that are in public enough positions to need that, to cover something else up- and doesn’t end well. Dongmin knows that. And, yet. “Maybe…”

“You’re actually considering it?!”

“You suggested it!” Dongmin kicks Sanha in the shins, and the other flinches. “And obviously I can’t. Who would I even-”

“I’ll do it.”

“ _What_.” Dongmin’s tone says more: confused-statement, than actual question.

“I’ll do it? Mutual gain.”

“Who are you trying to make jealous?”

“No one!”

“Then what would you-”

“Do you want my help or not?” Sanha rests his chin on his hands, elbows on the table between them. He’s attempting to look serious, Dongmin thinks, but he also has a nearly-permanent pout so he doesn’t quite manage it.

 

**Plan of action, Version 2.0:**

  1. Pretend to date Sanha.
  2. _Somehow tell their friends about said fake relationship?_
  3. Get Minhyuk into a relationship, so they can break their engagement, officially.
  4. Keep Bin from realizing Dongmin is a liar and a fraud, despite living with him.
  5. Make Jinwoo jealous?
  6. Figure out what to do about Myungjun and his inability to not hang around Jinwoo.
  7. Results?



 

Dongmin frowns, starting at his phone, which has one question from Sanha. A text that, without context, wont get them found out. _How do we actually go about letting the others know we’re dating?_

Dongmin had that question himself. Did they just start acting couple-like, and then hope someone asks? Or should they try and get everyone together, and announce it? But if they do that- make it official- wont Jinwoo stay quiet no matter what, because he- like Dongmin- wouldn’t actually try to break up a friends relationship just because of a crush? But, then, if they don’t announce it, wont everyone just think they’ve gotten closer, but platonically?

 

Dongmin’s head hurts. He shoves his phone away from himself, and covers his face. He’ll reply to Sanha in the morning, when he’s had a chance to think about it properly.

Until then, he still has course work to do. Work he needs done before Bin comes back, and needs to sleep, thus meaning Dongmin will be forced to turn the lights off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should they **Tell Everyone Right Away** or **Try Acting Differently and Wait**
> 
>  
> 
> Basically, to summarize the relationships  
> Everyone is friends, basically.  
> Dongmin: Likes Jinwoo, is (arranged) engaged to Minhyuk, fake dating Sanha (now), and is roommates with Bin.  
> Jinwoo: bff's with Myungjun, oblivious to literally everything else established.  
> Sanha: Fake dating Dongmin. Likes someone, maybe?  
> Bin: 0% involved in anything, roommates with Dongmin.  
> Minhyuk: Engaged to Dongmin, has previously (or currently?) liked Bin & Sanha,  
> Myungjun: just happy to be here, probably. friends with Jinwoo.


	2. The Minhyuk Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There plan may have some flaws in it, but the biggest flaw is Dongmin not hiding the paper that he wrote said plan on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The vote was: Act Different and Wait

_Lets just act differently and see what happens_

As it turns out, Sanha has never once in his life heard of the word _subtlety_. Dongmin shouldn’t be surprised- isn’t, really- but it still catches him off guard. When, while at lunch with the others- bi-weekly they have lunch with everyone, together, to keep them all sane during college- Sanha starts acting. It was what Dongmin said they should do, to be fair, but it was still _weird_.

It starts simply enough, with Sanha dropping into the seat next to him, despite not usually doing so. (Myungjun- who usually takes said spot- stares at Sanha for a solid minute, before moving to sit next to Minhyuk, instead.) And then… it gets worse. Sanha refuses to let Dongmin have use of both of his arms, apparently. Clings to one arm- or holds his hand- for the entire lunch. Leans far too close to Dongmin, the entire time, and pouts until Dongmin _feeds him_.

It’s definitely a departure from their usual behavior- certain to make the others realize _something_  is going on- but it’s also… a lot. Even for someone who has- on more than one occasion- doted on Sanha, it seems and feels odd.

And, yet, nobody _says_  anything. Myungjun mockingly- jokingly- clings to Bin, in a similar manner, to make fun of Sanha, but doesn’t actually mention his behavior. Bin just looks confused- which: valid. Minhyuk eyes them, clearly realizing something is up, but says nothing, either. Stands and leaves when Sanha turns the tables and tries to feed Dongmin something, but doesn’t mention the actions. (Says he has to go to class; which is true.)

And Jinwoo doesn’t even seem to notice, really. Says, “Sanha’s being more clingy than usual,” and leaves it at that.

So, when everyone else has left for one reason or another, and they’re left alone, Dongmin breathes a heavy sigh. Drops his head onto the table, ignoring Sanha patting him on the back. “He didn’t react at all.”

“I know.”

“Why didn’t he react?!”

“I don’t know.”

Dongmin sighs, again. Raises his head just enough to look at Sanha. “Is that how you’d actually act?”

“Huh?”

“If you were dating someone.”

“Oh, I don’t know? Maybe?”

“Your poor future partner.”

“What does that mean?!”

“Anyway-”

“Hey?!”

“I don’t think my heart can take this.” Dongmin sits up, to put a hand to his chest. “Are we sure this is a good idea?”

“Oh, it’s _not_.” Sanha shakes his head. “But if we keep it up, he’ll notice!”

“You’re so _sure_.”

“I’m doing some _great_  acting, it can’t go to waste.”

“I wouldn’t say it was great.”

“Hey!”

 

* * *

 

Sanha and Eunwoo are acting weird, Minhyuk is sure of it. (Eunwoo being Dongmin, not that Minhyuk ever calls him by his real name. Too many years of being pen-pals, and using fake names, before they found out it was all a ploy by their parents to get them to be friends, before they found out about the arranged marriage, has caused Minhyuk to always think of him as Eunwoo.) Their actions during lunch are strange, to say the least. And not because Sanha is being clingy, and not even because Eunwoo is letting him. When the latter isn’t being violent, he’s got pretty strong mom-friend vibes, so that adds up. But how much of it there is? How not surprised Eunwoo is? It’s weird.

And Minhyuk can’t figure out why they would act like that.

That’s not entirely true. He can think of a few reasons, but they don’t add up. Minhyuk doesn’t think they’re possible. Because there was no way the two were _dating_. They would have told everyone, right? Especially if they were going to act like that. Unless there was some reason they didn’t want to bring it up. Some reason they thought they couldn’t. And Minhyuk can’t think of what that would be, either.

And, beside that, Minhyuk thinks it would be a little messed up if his fiance was dating someone else without telling him. (So what if it was an arranged betrothal? So what if they weren’t actually in a relationship with each other? So, _what_ if neither of them had ever acted like they were engaged? Minhyuk still thought he should know. Maybe he was too caught up on that detail, but-)

So, when he can’t take watching them without having answer, any more, he stands to leave. Uses the class he has to go to as an excuse, despite still having at least another ten minutes before he even has to start making his way there.

 _“Sanha and Dongmin can’t be dating, right?”_ Minhyuk mutters to himself, as he makes his way towards his only remaining class for the day.

 

* * *

 

When Dongmin returns to his dorm, later that night, Bin is sitting at their shared desk, looking over something. Realizing that means he, himself, can’t use the desk, Dongmin throws his bag onto his bed, and climbs up to the top-bunk that is his. While he’s sorting through textbooks, Dongmin has a thought. An anxious one that pushes its way to the front of his mind, violently.

_What had he done with the planning paper?_

Left it on the desk, is the answer. Dongmin nearly falls back to the floor, as he rushes to get to the desk. “Sorry Bin, I need to find something!” Dongmin pushes the other out of the way. Bin grabs the paper he was looking over, and scoots back, out of the way in their chair. Dongmin starts scrambling to find the paper he’s looking for, ignoring Bin.

Until Bin speaks. “Goal: Dating Jinwoo.”

“Oh god.” Dongmin spins around, to face Bin, who’s holding the exact paper he was looking for.

“Weird, but that kind of makes sense.”

“No- Bin- _listen_. Give it back.”

“Obstacles? _Myungjun?_ Okay, actually, that’s fair. But me? That’s just mean.”

“Bin-”

“The solutions are pretty interesting, though.”

“Bin!” Dongmin violently pulls the paper away from Bin. (Luckily, no paper cuts are acquired by either of them.) “Please, you can’t tell anyone about this.”

Even though him not being able to keep a secret was why he was an obstacle, to begin with. Bin just nods, laughing. “Sure, if you think I can keep quiet.”

“Bin, please…”

“It’s fine, I understand. One condition.”

“What?” Dongmin eyes Bin, suspicious.

“Go through with point 3, of plan 2.0. With me.”

_**Plan of action, Version 2.0, step 3: Get Minhyuk into a relationship, so they can break their engagement, officially.** _

“Wait- _wait_. You want to date Minhyuk?”

“Maybe?” Bin’s response comes out squeaky, like he wasn’t prepared to say as much. Dongmin eyes him, and Bin shrinks under his gaze. “Yes, okay. Happy?”

“Sure, okay. That was the original solution, anyway.”

“I know, I saw.”

 

**The Minhyuk plan, version 1.0:**

**Goal:**  Get Minhyuk and Bin to date.

 **Obstacles:** literally everything about Minhyuk?

 **Solutions:**  ?????

 

Dongmin stares down at the second- new- piece of paper, while Bin looks over his shoulder.

“That is not at all a plan.”

“Well, what would you suggest?!”

“I don’t know, okay? You're the one with plans.”

"Right..." But he wasn't. Sanha was the one who came up with their actual plan. 

 

 _“Hey, Sanha?”_ Dongmin asks, having called Sanha. The other gives a hum in acknowledgement, clearly otherwise distracted. __“_ Do you have any idea how I would get Minhyuk and Bin into a relationship?”_

_“You’re still doing that?”_

_“Uh- yeah.”_

_“Why don’t you just tell Minhyuk you want to break your engagement, and that both of you dating would help? Maybe suggest the same thing we’re doing? Then they’ll probably fall into the trope, you know, because they’re weaker than we are.”_

_“Are they?”_ Dongmin pauses, frowning over at where Bin is doing actual schoolwork, now. __“_ Wait, _what _trope?”_

_“Uh, the falling in love one?”_

_“What?!”_  Bin looks up at Dongmin, when he shouts, but Dongmin shakes his head. _“That’s a thing?”_

_“Yes- wait- what do you think happens in fake-dating stories?”_

_“Misunderstandings and death.”_

_“What?!”_ Sanha’s voice is loud enough that Bin looks up again, raises an eyebrow. Dongmin shakes his head, again, and shrugs. _“What stories are you reading where that’s the case?”_

_“Watching: but, real life?”_

_“Oh. Oh right, people have actually done that._ No _\- no one dies?!”_

_“Not on the outside.”_

_“Did you think one of us was going to die?”_

_“No, we’re the stronger ones, right?”_

_“Whatever.”_ Sanha sighs, and Dongmin can nearly picture him shaking his head, pouting. __“_ Option 2.”_

_“Option 2?”_

_“Trick them into spending more time alone. Hype up Bin as much as possible to Minhyuk, and the reverse, too. You know, normal setting people up stuff.”_

_“I don’t think we have to worry about Bin.”_   Dongmin glances at the other, who doesn’t look up, this time. _“But I see how that plan could work.”_

 

So, Dongmin has two potential plans of action. (There are actually a _lot_  of things he _could_  do, but there are two he’s actually considering.) As such, he mentally weighs the pros and cons.

And writes them down when he can’t keep track of them.

 

**The Minhyuk plan, version 1.1:**

  1. Convince Minhyuk that breaking their engagement is a priority. (Pro)
  2. Get him to date Bin, whether he wants to make it a fake relationship or not. (Pro/Con, depending on the result.)
  3. Wait for them to fall in love. (Pro? Bin already likes Minhyuk, anyway.)
  4. Success? Maybe?
  5. If it fails they’ll be horribly awkward and unhappy. (Con)



 

**The Minhyuk Plan, version 1.2:**

  1. Get them to spend more time alone. (Pro. They’ll be out of the way, which helps Dongmin.)
  2. Hype Bin up. (Con? It’s suspicious, and Dongmin knows Minhyuk is pretty good at reading other people.)
  3. Hope Minhyuk falls for Bin (again) this way. (Pro/Con depending on if it works.)
  4. Hope one of them actually makes a move. (Con. They’re idiots that rival Dongmin when it comes to romance.)
  5. Success maybe? If it fails Minhyuk wont notice, probably (pro), but-
  6. Bin will be extra sad if it fails, because it was a more normal set-up, probably. (Con)



“What are you writing now?”

“I’m trying to figure out a plan, for you.”

“Oh.” Bin pauses. “So have you?”

“Yeah.”

 

Between the two, Dongmin thinks this one is better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should they use **Plan 1.1 or Plan 1.2**?
> 
> Sanha is surprisingly helpful, all things considered.  
> Dongmin not knowing how fake-dating tropes usually go, despite knowing the exist, is just really funny to me idk why.
> 
> I was originally /only/ going to write Dongmin's perspective, but i think a few glimpses into others wont hurt. never jinjin's, though, for obvious reasons.  
> Yes, when it's Minhyuk's perspective, the name used will *usually* be eunwoo. yes, him saying "dongmin" instead is supposed to be like that.  
> but why? who knows.
> 
> Oh btw the plans dongmin actually writes are obviously slightly different in how they're written from these. but all the info is still there.


	3. Plan 1.1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plan 1.1 won the vote! (That is the fake-dating plan)

“Fake dating?” Bin asks, incredulous. “Like your official plan with Sanha? Really? That’s what you came up with?”

“You have a better plan, Bin?” At Dongmin’s question, Bin remains silent. “See.”

“Fine, okay, what’s the plan, then?”

“I’ll bring up breaking our engagement to Minhyuk, and then suggest he starts dating someone- you- so our parents are convinced to do so, without argument.”

“You know- can’t you two break your own engagement, because you’re adults?”

Dongmin pauses at that, before shaking his head. “We can, technically, but it’s easier to convince them, then argue about it.”

“Alright…”

“Anyway, I’ll talk to Minhyuk, tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Bin nods, then motions to the papers on their shared table. “Want to hide those?”

“Could you?”

“You got it.”

 

_**Step 1: convince Minhyuk to help Dongmin break their shared engagement.** _

“So,” Dongmin starts, dropping down at a table next to Minhyuk. Being a day that not everyone is going to show up, means they have more time to talk. (He would have preferred having this discussion somewhere else, but couldn’t find a way to bring it up that Minhyuk wouldn’t have seriously questioned. So the campus cafeteria it is.)

“So?”

“I think we should break our engagement.”

“What?” Minhyuk looks up, finally, away from his food. Raises an eyebrow at Dongmin, who continues, quickly.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while-”

_“A while.”_

“-and our parents will probably give it up, if we both find partners we want to be with more than each other.” Dongmin pauses, waiting for a response. Then, after a solid minute of Minhyuk staring, blank-faced, Minhyuk stands.

“Fine.”

Dongmin doesn’t have time to process Minhyuk’s reaction, as he moves to leave. “Wait!”

“ _Huh?”_ Minhyuk turns back, tilting his head.

“I have an idea; for you.”

“For _me_ , huh?”

“Yes?”

“So?”

“Well, I think you should date- or at least pretend to date- Bin. I think he’d be easy to convince-” already was convinced- “and you two would be believable, together.”

“We would?” Minhyuk’s genuine confusions throws Dongmin off.

“Didn’t you used to like him, anyway? And Bin-” Dongmin realizes too late he can’t say what he was going to- “will probably go along with it?”

“How can you realize that, and not-” Minhyuk cuts himself off, shaking his head.

“Not what?”

“I’ll talk to Bin, then.” With that, Minhyuk leaves, and leaves Dongmin sitting there confused. What hadn’t he realized?

 

Bin acts strangely, when Dongmin returns, but thanks him none the less. Something about his actions- speech, too- is stilted, but he refuses to admit anything is wrong, so Dongmin is forced to accept it. And, when the next bi-weekly lunch comes around, it comes with Minhyuk and Bin sitting side-by-side, acting like a couple. They hold hands, and lean into each other whenever they laugh, and for some reason the others- just Myungjun, actually- call them on this. (Yet they never brought up Dongmin and Sanha? Dongmin can’t for the life of him figure out why.)

“What’s up with you two?” Myungjun asks, motioning to Bin and Minhyuk. Jinwoo glances over at them, confused, and then back to Myungjun.

“What about them?”

“What do you mean _what about them?_  Isn’t it obvious?”

“We’re dating,” Minhyuk says, before further questions can be thrown around. “Sort of.”

“Sort of?” Jinwoo asks, frowning. “It seems pretty real.”

“Wait so you did notice-” Myungjun is cut off by Bin.

“Practice,” Bin says, quietly. Then, louder, “for when we have to talk to his parents.”

“What’s this about?” Jinwoo frowns at them.

“I’m-” Minhyuk turns to Dongmin, now- “going to ask them to break my engagement to Dongmin, and use having a boyfriend as the reason.”

Dongmin nods. Barely registers Minhyuk actually calling him by his real name. “We were talking about it, before.”

“I think it’s a good idea,” Sanha adds, leaning into Dongmin, and wrapping his arms around one of his. “Arranged marriages are dumb, anyway.”

“Oh,” Jinwoo mutters, nodding. “I see. Well, good luck.”

 

* * *

  

Myungjun doesn’t know what’s going on, but something is. Between Minhyuk and Bin’s new, fake, relationship, and Dongmin and Sanha acting like they’re dating, but not saying anything about it, their friend group has gone from normal to strange very quickly. He kind of wishes he’d brought up Sanha and Dongmin’s actions, now, but it seems too late for that. (He hadn’t, in the first place, because he thought if something was going on, Dongmin wasn’t the kind of person to keep it quiet. And Sanha even less-so.)

He wishes Minhyuk and Bin luck, and returns to his lunch. He and Jinwoo leave around the same time, their next classes in the same building, and starting close together. As they walk, Myungjun addresses one of many unanswered questions.

“Hey, Jinwoo?”

“Yeah?”

“If you noticed them acting like that, why didn’t you mention it?”

“I figure if they want us to know something, they’ll tell us. Unless they seem upset, I don’t think forcing them to talk about it helps anyone.” Jinwoo shrugs, an emotion on his face that Myungjun can’t quite place. (Which is rare, due to how well they know each other. How long they’ve been friends.)

“Do you think something is up with Dongmin and Sanha, too?”

“You think?” Jinwoo frowns, as if in thought. “I guess they’ve also been acting differently.” His frown deepens.

“Everyone’s pairing off,” Myungjun jokes, in hopes of riding Jinwoo’s face of the frown that’s taken residence on it. “Maybe we should start dating, too.”

Jinwoo laughs, throws an arm over Myungjun’s shoulders. “Are we not already?”

(It’s a joke they’ve had for years, due to their closeness. How long they’ve known each other, and how much time they spend together. Sometimes Myunjun wonders if Jinwoo has ever considered how close to the truth it is.)

“You wont even take me to dinner.” Myungjun turns, to stare into the distance dramatically. “You don’t love me.”

“I’m _broke_ , MJ.”

“Too bad.” Myungjun turns back, grinning. “No, but seriously, what’s with everyone all the sudden?”

“It only takes one thing to change a lot else.” Jinwoo shrugs, removing his arm from Myungjun. Myungjun nods. But what was that _one thing?_ Myungjun contemplates, all the way to the hallway where he and Jinwoo separate. It isn't like he wont be happy for everyone, if they _are_ dating, but the whole thing feels strange.

Maybe he's over-thinking it.

 

* * *

 

Dongmin and Sanha end up in that same restaurant, off-campus. This time, they find themselves at a booth, near the back, sitting in momentary silence. Dongmin is re-writing plans, unable to otherwise organize his thoughts, while Sanha does school work in-between eating an unhealthy amount of pastries. Finally, Dongmin sighs, and sets his pen aside.

“Sanha, can I ask you something?”

“Hm?”

“Are we just... not a believable couple?”

“Maybe?” Sanha shrugs. “We could be, if it wasn’t just _me_ acting different.”

“What does that mean?! I have been acting different?”

“Name one thing you’ve done.” At Sanha’s words, Dongmin hesitates. Tries to search for some response, but everything he can think of was prompted by Sanha’s actions or words, not his own attempts to act differently. “See?”

“I- yeah.” Dongmin breathes another sigh. “I’ll try harder.”

“Okay.”

“Can I ask you something else?”

“Maybe.”

“Sanha.”

“Fine, you can.” Sanha offers a smile, and Dongmin looks back down at his half-formed plans.

“Do you have a problem with Bin and Minhyuk? Because you reacted weirdly when I first said it, but you also gave me advice when I asked, which I would have figured you wouldn’t have if you had a problem with them being together.”

“I don’t.”

“Then-”

“I just-” Sanha pauses, fidgeting. Takes to tracing circles onto his schoolwork. “It’s actually a more reasonable worry _now_.”

Sanha laughs, but there’s no humor to it, just nervousness. Dongmin nods, waiting, but Sanha doesn’t explain. “What’s wrong, Sanha?”

“Okay, well, now it’s more reasonable, so I guess I can explain.” Dongmin doesn’t point out that Sanha basically repeated himself. “Pretend everything goes as planned.”

“Okay.”

“Minhyuk and Bin are together, and you and Jinwoo are too.”

“Right?”

“Well Minhyuk is my best friend, you know?” Sanha frowns. “So my best friend’s time is all given to Bin, who is- like- third place.”

“Poor Bin.” At that, Sanha laughs.

“No- hey- listen. Myungjun barely won, by somehow being an actual kid.”

“I’m telling him you said that.”

“Don’t forget I can blackmail you, with this whole situation,” Sanha warns, and Dongmin glares in response. “So- well- there are two of my three closest friends, spending all of their time together, probably alone. And then, you and Jinwoo are together, so there goes _your_ free time.”

“You’re worried about that part?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Well,” Dongmin starts, slowly, “I didn’t think you and me were so close that you’d be worried about it?”

“Oh.” Sanha pauses, then shakes his head. His expression is one Dongmin can’t place- one he doesn’t know Sanha well enough to place- but fades quickly. “Well- _still_.”

“Okay.”

“And then it’d be just me and Myungjun. Which is fine- right- but _I don’t know_. I can’t picture him losing most of his time with Jinwoo, anyway. He’d probably forcefully third-wheel you guys before that happens.”

“Right?”

“So I’m just there, by myself.”

“Sanha…”

“I know it’s not-”

“We’re not going to stop spending time with other people, if we get into relationships.” Sanha looks up at that, startled. “You _know_ that, right?”

“Yeah…” But his hesitance to answer tells Dongmin that he _hadn’t_. “Okay.”

“Okay.”

"So, Jinwoo still hasn't said anything about us, huh?" Sanha asks, a change in subject that throws Dongmin off. And, Immediately, one that makes him frown.

"Yeah..." Dongmin glares when Sanha pats his back.

"It's okay, we'll figure it out."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uh there's no vote this chapter? I couldn't lead naturally into one, but this chapter was already long enough I didn't want to add more scenes, just yet.  
> so it'll wait.  
> i'd still like to hear your guy's thoughts on this chapter, though.


	4. Chance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The vote- oh wait, there wasn't one.  
> uh  
> welcome back?
> 
>  
> 
> hey look a chapter title without "plan" in it.

Exam weeks start three weeks after the _plan_ began, leaving Dongmin to focus on his neglected school work in place of his plan. He spends most of his time either in his room, studying, or in the library, also studying, when Bin has taken over their desk, and he needs one. One particular day, he leaves Bin and Minhyuk to study together- they have the same major, and thus a lot of classes in common, so it’s a good chance for them to continue spending time together- and Dongmin is in the library with Myungjun and Sanha. The latter sits next to him, with Myungjun across from them.

Sanha mutters a small, “math is a nightmare,” before dropping his head onto the table. Dongmin and Myungjun are both content to ignore this, until Sanha sits back up, and leans against Dongmin- nearly leaning out of his own chair, in the process. “Why do I need to take math, again? I graduated high school, aren’t I done?”

“Apparently not.” Dongmin shrugs, and Sanha- as he’s known to do- whines. Across from them, Myungjun mumbles about history being stupid.

Sanha shifts, further losing purchase on his chair. “Help me.”

“You’re going to fall.” Dongmin’s point is only proven, when Sanha starts to lose balance. On instinct, he wraps one of his arms- the left, which is the side Sanha's on- around Sanha to keep him from falling to the floor.

“But you’ll catch me.”

“Unfortunately.” Dongmin continues not to look at Sanha, but he’s almost sure Sanha is pouting. Across from them, Myungjun finally looks up.

“Why don’t you take a break, Sanha?” Myungjun says, setting his own pencil aside.

“Good idea,” Dongmin adds, squeezing Sanha. “You look tired, anyway.”

“A break it is!” Sanha breathes a sigh, purposefully heavy, and leans yet further into Dongmin, who struggles to hold him, now, as he’s almost entirely off of his own chair. Finally, deciding it’s too much work to hold him up- but also feeling too kind, for once, to drop him like he originally thought to- Dongmin pulls Sanha towards himself. Onto his own chair- and lap in turn- at an angle where he can still look over Sanha’s shoulder. Rests his head on said shoulder, and returns to studying, with his arms around the other.

Dongmin can feel Myungjun eyeing them, even before the other speaks. “And here I was thinking you’d drop him.”

“I’m feeling nice.” Dongmin shrugs, and Sanha turns to pout at him.

“You would have dropped me?”

“Don’t act surprised.” Dongmin rolls his eyes. Sanha continues to pout. Then, after a moment, Sanha turns back forward, so he can lean at an angle that allows him to tilt his head back, and onto Dongmin’s shoulder instead.

“What if I take a nap?”

“Don’t.”

“But I’m _comfortable_.”

“You’re really pushing the limits of my niceness,” Dongmin is going to say, “ _kid_ ,” but stops himself. Fumbles for something that sounds less condescending, and more in line with how he’d talk if they were actually in some sort of relationship. (Something he has to remind himself they’re still supposed to be pretending they are.) Finally, with only a split second too long of a pause, Dongmin finishes with a small, muttered, “baby.”

The only person who cringes more than he does- though he does so internally- is Myungjun. Myungjun, who groans, and looks between them, while covering his face. “Wait, are you two-”

“Somehow that sounds insulting, from you.” Sanha’s words cut off Myungjun’s question, as he turns to pout at Dongmin, yet again. Dongmin avoids his eyes, frowning, until Sanha laughs at him. “ _Baby_.”

“Don’t.”

“Oh, come on. You can call me that, but I can’t call you that?”

“It sounds weird, from you.”

“Hypocrite.”

“You’re like twelve, shut up.”

“I am not.” Then, muttered, but still loud enough Myungjun probably hears him, “that would be really creepy.”

“It’s an _exaggeration_.”

“I know.” Sanha grins. Dongmin rolls his eyes, but smiles despite himself.

"Alright."

Myungjun doesn’t question them, further. Looks at them oddly, like he’s figured something out, but otherwise doesn’t say anything. Moves the topic back to their oncoming exams, and, beyond that, a party that will happen right after all classes have finished said exams.

 

Once Dongmin has taken the last of his exams, he goes back to his dorm and proceeds to pass out on Bin’s bunk. (His own is the top one, and he’s too lazy to climb up. So, Bin’s bunk it is.) He only wakes hours later, when he feels weight drop on top of him. He opens his eyes, enough to see Bin, who moves to sit on the side of the bed.

“Finally.”

“Huh?”

“I’ve been trying to wake you for at _least_ five minutes.”

“So you decided to crush me?”

“I’m not that heavy.”

“Mhm.” Dongmin yawns, sitting up. “Why wake me?”

“Besides the fact that this is my bed?” Bin stands, pulling out his phone. “Myungjun and Jinwoo are insisting we all need to celebrate the end of exams.”

“Okay?”

“And apparently there’s a party.” Bin holds out his phone, so Dongmin can see the text. They’re in the group chat their friends all use, so Dongmin must not have heard his own phone alerting him to them. “Sanha already agreed, and it’d be a little weird if you don’t go.”

Dongmin huffs out a sigh, shaking his head. “Right, right.” (He would have gone, anyway. Though he doesn’t like parties particularly much, if a majority of his friends were going, Jinwoo included, of course he would go.)

“So?”

“Going. You?”

“Yeah, Minhyuk said yes for both of us.”

“Both of you?” Dongmin raises an eyebrow, at that. “Wow, already a real couple, huh?”

Bin laughs, sounding nervous. “Not quite, but…”

“But?”

“Nothing.” Bin shakes his head. “Anyway, get ready, we can go together.”

“Where, again?”

“Off campus, but not far? It’s one of Myungjun’s friends, and apparently not a _big_ party.”

“Mm,” Dongmin hums, nodding, “’Kay.”

 

True to that, the party isn’t huge. Not the kind of thing Dongmin pictures, thinking of college parties. It’s big enough that he- too quickly- loses track of Bin, and everyone else along with him, but not the kind of party seen in movies. He recognizes nearly everyone, even if he’s not spoken to them, and there’s only- at most- twenty people there. A lot, but not overwhelming. The apartment, itself, is large but not ridiculously so.

Still, parties aren’t his favourite thing in he world, so inevitably he wonders in the kitchen. There he finds Myungjun with a cup of water. (Myungjun says he, “doesn’t need alcohol to be the most fun person,” there.)

“Do you know where everyone went?”

“Just Minhyuk and Bin.” Myungjun points vaguely towards the living room. “Pretty sure they’re in there. Or they were.”

“Oh.” Dongmin nods, and leans against one of the kitchen counters. Then where had Jinwoo and Sanha gone? As if to answer his question, two texts light up on his phone. He checks the first- one from Jinwoo- just as Jinwoo adds more to his original message.

 _“Where did everyone go?”_ Followed by. __“_ Or just where are you?”_

Dongmin responds, immediately. _“ Kitchen, but where are you? I’ll come to you, it’s pretty empty here.”_

To which Jinwoo responds with where he is- one corner of the living room. He should be easy to find. It’s a chance, he thinks. Jinwoo isn’t around Myungjun, for once, and even if he hadn’t really been eager to directly confess, maybe he _should_. (His and Sanha’s plan clearly hadn’t done much, so maybe, he thinks, he should abandon it and just be direct. If something goes wrong, he can lie about having been drinking, he thinks. It’s the perfect chance. Likely the only one he’ll have, for a while.) Dongmin is going to leave the kitchen, when he remembers he hadn’t checked his other message. This one is from Sanha.

It starts simply with, “I may have been drinking.” Though he types it as, _“ i may have ben drinkig,”_which isn’t entirely surprising. Sanha can- just barely- drink, but somehow Dongmin hadn’t expected it. Maybe because most of them rarely drink, except when they’re all together, and it’s just them. Still, it’s not a big deal.

_“Okay?”_

_“i think I threw up????? idk i wanna go home . where did u all go?? ?”_

_“Where are you?”_

_“bathro m?”_

_“Okay.”_ Dongmin frowns at the message, then at the ones from Jinwoo. If he goes to Sanha, he’ll likely end up taking him home, so he definitely wont get a chance to talk to Jinwoo. Then again, he already said he’d go to Jinwoo, and he hadn’t said as much to Sanha. Whoever he doesn’t go to- he glances at Myungjun who questions him, but Dongmin just shakes his head- he can tell Myungjun to go to them.

Whatever he chooses to do, should be fine, right?

“Hey, Myungjun?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you do me a favour?”

“Sure.” Myungjun nods, and Dongmin smiles, thankful.

“Can you go-”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should _Dongmin_ **Go to Jinwoo** or **Go to Sanha**  
>  whoever you dont say, will be who he asks myungjun to go see.  
> :)
> 
> i don't actually much to say, this time. uh- i've been listening to loona's satellite on repeat while writing this and last chapter?
> 
> OH, right. Okay so i looked it up, and the drinking age in south korea (acording to wikipedia, the only reliable source-) is 19 (as of january 1st, on the year they turn such), but i don't know if that's international age, or korean age, so uh if it's the former, then sanha (and everyone else, in turn) is a year older in this story than irl, and if it's the later then i guess it's fine? yeah.  
> Edit: apparently it's 20 (korean age?) and he's able to drink? i think.
> 
> i don't condone underage drinking?? (I generally don't like the idea of drinking, in general, but that may be bc all alcohol tastes like nyquil to me, which is a taste that makes me feel like vomiting? blah, anyway, i'm morally obligated to say don't drink when ur not somewhere legal to drink at ur age or whatever. idk.)


	5. Feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Majority vote was to go to Sanha! You guys voted really quickly, and I am in a very strong writing mood, so...
> 
> it's technically a different day, bc it's past midnight, so no, i didn't post 2 chapters on the same day. so what if i haven't slept.  
> blah.  
> y'all aren't ready for this. (or maybe you are idk.)

“Can you- Jinwoo is in the living room, can you go find him? I have to find Sanha.” He’ll have more chances to talk to Jinwoo. They _are_ friends, after all. But Sanha is clearly not well, and Dongmin can’t just leave him alone. That, and he’s pretty sure if Sanha is really bad off, Myungjun wont be able to take him home- carrying someone so much taller than oneself had to be a struggle.

“Is something wrong with Sanha?” Myungjun tilts his head, concern clear in his voice.

“He’s just been drinking, apparently. I’m going to make sure he’s okay, but I’d feel bad just leaving Jinwoo by himself, too.”

“Oh.” A nod. “Okay, sure, I’ll go find Jinwoo, then. Good luck with Sanha.”

“Thanks.”

Dongmin finds Sanha sitting outside of the bathroom door, phone in his hand, and arms wrapped around his knees. He looks up, when Dongmin approaches, looking worse for wear. Besides the obvious signs of being drunk, he looks like someone who’s been crying. Silently, Dongmin sits down next to him, and wraps an arm around Sanha’s shoulders.

“What are you doing here?” Dongmin asks, finally breaking the silence between them. (Not the general silence; the apartment is filled with noise.)

“Got kicked out of the bathroom?” Sanha’s words come out questioning, slurred. Dongmin has to wonder how Sanha got _so_ drunk, so quickly. He’d only been separated from the group- and thus Sanha- for ten or fifteen minutes, at most. “’M tired.”

“Want to go home, Sanha?”

“Mhm.”

“Are you okay?” Dongmin asks, as he stands. He offers Sanha a hand, too, to help him to his feet. Sanha stands, unsteady, before he responds.

“I’m okay.”

“Are you sure?” Dongmin grabs one of Sanha’s arms, to put over his own shoulders. Then he takes Sanha’s phone, worried the other is going to drop it.

“No.”

“Want to talk about it?” He starts to move them towards the exit.

“No.” Sanha shakes his head, and Dongmin nods. Dongmin takes Sanha back to the latter’s dorm, and stays there when Sanha grabs and refuses to let go of his hand. Sets Sanha’s phone down, and uses his own to let the others know what happened.

Dongmin has a lot of questions- why Sanha drank so much, by himself, to start with- but pushes them all aside. Sanha falls asleep, quickly, though his grip doesn’t loosen on Dongmin’s hand. As such, he can’t really answer any of Dongmin’s questions.

Silently, Dongmin both mourns his chance to talk to Jinwoo alone, and thanks his past self for choosing to go to Sanha, despite this. He’ll have another chance to talk to Jinwoo, he assures himself.

* * *

Bin has had a lot of strange conversations, over the past month. Starting with his conversation with Dongmin- when he found out about Dongmin’s plans to date Jinwoo- which was soon followed by an  _interesting_ conversation with Minhyuk. (The results of which still ache in his chest.) And he and Minhyuk have both had an even more interesting conversation with a half-drunk Sanha.

 _“I said I wasn’t- I said we were_ stronger _than falling for tropes.”_

 _“Sanha,_ what _?” Minhyuk asked, frowning, clearly confused. Bin moved to pat Sanha’s back. “We don’t know what you’re talking about.”_

_“I even suggested the idea!” Sanha threw his arms up, nearly hitting Bin. Minhyuk pulled Bin back, just in time to avoid it, almost as if he expected Sanha’s action. “Why am I so stupid?!”_

_“You’re not stupid,” Bin said, simply._

_“He called me baby?! I called_ him _baby?! And you!” Sanha pointed at the two of them. “You’re paired off. Which isn’t ev- even? Even fair because I liked Minhyuk first!”_

_“What?” The question came from both of them, in differing levels of surprise. Minhyuk’s response quiet, Bin’s louder._

_“And_ they’ll _pair off. And Myungjun will- and I’ll be alone, and sad, and an_ idiot _because I suggested the worst plan in the world! Misunderstandings and death are- are the real thing!”_

Sanha had announced- shortly after that, while Minhyuk and Bin tried to comfort him- that he was going to be sick. Disappeared, into the bathroom. Then, during a momentary distraction, he left the bathroom without either of them noticing. Apparently he proceeded to get even _more_ drunk, if Dongmin’s text is to be believed. Bin couldn’t quite understand why Sanha had- apparently- only contacted Dongmin, following said drinking, but he had ideas. Mostly revolving around Sanha’s words from prior to that.

And, now, Minhyuk is acting weird. Not responding to Bin with more than simple responses. It's been an entire week- free of exams but not classes- since the party, now. Dongmin seems particularly unaffected by the night, which Bin can only assume means Sanha hadn’t said anything to him, like he did to Minhyuk and Bin. Beyond that, Myungjun and Jinwoo haven’t acted very different, though Jinwoo keeps glancing at Sanha and Dongmin like he’s worried about something. Bin and Minhyuk are still spending a lot of time together, but it’s somehow gotten even more awkward, when it’s just them.

Which is shocking, since Bin didn’t think he could feel any more awkward than he had after his earlier conversation with Minhyuk. (“How can Eunwoo- no, Dongmin. Clearly I need to get _over it,_ ” Minhyuk had said, running a hand through his hair. Bin hadn’t been able to respond. “How can he not realize I don’t want to break our engagement?”) Yet it had. The time between that conversation and the party had been fine. Slowly, surely, progressed into something nice. Until Bin was sure their fake relationship could, potentially, result in what he wanted. Though, then, he felt guilty, knowing what he did, and not giving up on the plan.

( _But, then, Minhyuk had also said, in the midst of exam week, “you know, I think I was wrong.”_

_“What do you mean? About what?”_

_“I think I was clinging to- well- this idea of someone who hasn't exited for a while. To_ Eunwoo. B _ecause it was easy, and not because I actually liked Dongmin.”_

 _“Oh.” Bin hadn’t known how to respond, beyond that._ Wishes, now, that he had said something, anything, to make his own intentions clearer. And, now, it was awkward again.)

Bin is probably selfish, he thinks. He looks over the plans Dongmin had written, frowns at them, and thinks he _has_ to be selfish.

 _ _“Hey, Minhyuk?__ _ _”__  Bin texts him, while still holding the plans.

__"yeah?”_ _

__“i need to tell you something, about our fake relationship?”_ _

__“ok?”_ _

__“in person?”_ _

__“ok. Can it wait for tomorrow?”_ _

__“yeah, sure.”_ _

* * *

One day, a month and a half into **Plan of Action, Version 2.0**  being put into place, Jinwoo and Dongmin are the only ones to show up to lunch. Sanha, apparently, has to talk to a professor. (Dongmin had asked Sanha about his drinking so much the night of the party, to little result. Sanha refused to talk to him about it, just thanking Dongmin for taking him home.) Bin and Minhyuk have been spending all of their free time exclusively with each other, and are doing so today, too. (Dongmin wonders if that means at least Bin is having luck.) And it’s a Friday, so Myungjun has a class when everyone else would be free.

“Seems like a long time since we’ve talked,” Jinwoo says, interrupting a silence that Dongmin thinks feels awkward. But maybe that’s just him- or his crush- talking. (His crush being the feeling, not Jinwoo himself.)

“Oh- uh- has it?” Dongmin shifts where he sits, focuses his gaze on his food. “Maybe since we’ve had a _one-on-one_ conservation.”

“I guess so.” Jinwoo hums, resting his arms on the table. “Exam week didn’t help.”

“Yeah.” Dongmin nods. “Sorry, by the way.”

“For what?” Jinwoo raises an eyebrow.

“The party?” Dongmin turns, facing Jinwoo. Meets his eyes, and cruses himself when he fumbles for words. (Fumbles for something to say because his only thought, for a moment, is how _pretty_ Jinwoo is.) “I said I’d meet up with you, then immediately _didn’t_ do that.”

“It’s okay. You were with Sanha, right?” Jinwoo frowns. “Poor kid; sounds like he really overdid it.”

“Yeah, he was pretty sick. Passed out once he was home.”

Jinwoo hums, lowly, in acknowledgement. Dongmin is briefly distracted by focusing a bit too much on the sound, before he shakes himself out of the thoughts. They were friends _before_  his crush developed, he shouldn’t be this easily distracted. “Can I ask you something, Dongmin?”

“Sure.”

“Are-” A pause, then Jinwoo shakes his head. Seems to reconsider his question. And, when he speaks again, Dongmin has a sneaking suspicion his question isn’t what he originally was going to ask. “Do you think Bin and Minhyuk’s fake relationship is starting to seem a little too real?”

“I thought so too!” Dongmin nods. Moves closer to Jinwoo without really thinking about it, because that’s what he would have done were it anyone else. Lowers his own voice, just slightly, when he speaks again. “They’re spending _all_ of their time together. Which is fine, they can do that, but that, and the fake relationship, seems kind of…”

“Exactly.” Jinwoo nods, leans forward, his own voice quieting. “I always hesitate to bring up everyone’s feeling for each other, unless they bring it up, first.”

“Mhm?”

“But they really seem to get along, right? I mean friends should, but-”

“In a way that’s distinctly not-friendship?”

“Yeah.”

“I really didn’t think you would notice something like that,” Dongmin admits. Thinks about Jinwoo’s absolute lack of reaction to Dongmin and Sanha’s fake relationship.

“I notice, I just don’t _say_  it.”

“Is that so?” Dongmin frowns. If that was the case, would Jinwoo have noticed Dongmin’s feelings? Would he just not mention it, unless Dongmin did? Surely if he felt similarly, and knew Dongmin did, he would say something, right? (But Dongmin doesn’t know if that’s the case. Bringing up your own feelings is far more difficult than talking about someone else’s.)

“Yeah. Actually-” Jinwoo pauses, glances away from Dongmin. An action that makes Dongmin suddenly distinctly aware of their distance- or lack of- now. “Are you- are you and Sanha dating?”

“What?”

“Myungjun is convinced you are. And I can sort of see it, but- not that I don’t believe him- I wasn’t sure? So- well- since we’re talking about that kind of thing.” Jinwoo shrugs, laughs nervously, and runs a hand through his hair. (For once, Dongmin isn’t distracted by any of Jinwoo’s actions, his words striking him distinctly.)

“Weren’t so sure, huh?”

“Yeah… it just seems weird? Wait- no- if you _are_ dating, it’s not weird, but-”

“It’s okay.” Dongmin forces a small chuckle out of himself, tries to bury how nervous he suddenly is. “Well, actually…”

“Mhm?”

Actually, Dongmin isn’t sure how to respond. Should he say they’re dating? But now is a chance to remove the reason for that.

If he says they aren’t, he can admit to having feeling for someone else. For Jinwoo. (Or, is he even ready to do that? But he has to be, that was the whole point-) He can say they aren’t- or say they were, and broke up, or even say that it was fake, another relationship formed strictly to end his engagement- and that’ll be it. He’ll be free to confess, or at least remind Jinwoo that Dongmin is there, available.

Or, he can say that they are dating. Maybe see if Jinwoo seems jealous, with that confirmed. It isn’t as if Dongmin and Sanha can’t, “break up,” later. Considering how much acting they’ve done- especially in front of Myungjun- it might be more believable to say they are, and then break up later. When they had, just that day, been acting like they were in a relationship. (But what would even be the point? He had plenty of excuses for their actions, already thought up.)

It feels like his thought run around for hours, but it’s only a few seconds, before he responds.

“Actually, me and Sanha…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)  
>  **Tell Jinwoo they Aren't Dating** or **Tell Jinwoo they Are Dating**  
>  everyone has too many emotions, whoops. Important note: i wouldn't think too much about the people not involved in this choice (meaning eunwoo and jinjin).  
> There is always a chance to restore relationships and improve happiness levels for anyone who is now/will be sad. at least, i haven't given you an un-fixable choice, yet, so don't worry too much.  
> remember this story is supposed to be the one where i'm easier on my own heart, too, hence nobody dying. (externally)
> 
> shout out to bin. no particular reason he's just doing his best. (if the timeline for his part is confusing, the sanha stuff obviously is from the party, and the minhyuk coversations are from before then, except the last text convo, which is current).
> 
> uh anyone like horror? i wrote a short story on my non-kpop tumblr (so my mainblog) that's horror. it's v short, but, eh. if anyones interested i can give ya the link.
> 
> im tired (but not like "need to sleep right now" tired so much as "wrote a lot since i've been up" tired) so please tell me if i made some horrible typo and didn't notice it in editing thank.


	6. Lies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Majority vote (when i started writing this chapter) was: Tell Jinwoo they're dating.  
> honestly surprised.
> 
> (this chapter doesn't start right when the last one ended, like most do, but it will get to that so dont worry, it's there.) 
> 
> this chapter is....long

Bin and Minhyuk meet in an on-campus cafe. Sit beside one the windows, and have idle conversation instead of the one they’re supposed to be having. Minhyuk traces the lid of his cup, waiting for Bin to speak; to say what they’re actually here to talk about.

“So?”

“I-” Bin hesitates, shakes his head. His hands move the table, pressed flat, to keep him from pulling at his fingers. Nervousness is clear, so Minhyuk waits. “I asked Dongmin to set us up.”

Minhyuk can’t seem to respond with anything other than a, “what?”

“The- uh- the idea for us to pretend to date? That was the reason. I asked him to help me- uh- well, it’s pretty obvious, right?”

Minhyuk nods. Is silent for an extended amount of time. Bin’s hands curl into fists. Then, slowly, one of Minhyuk’s hands reach over, turn Bin’s hand over, and force him to uncurl it. “Why mention it?”

“Why?” Bin looks up, surprised. Meets Minhyuk’s eyes for what must be the first time since they arrived. “Because I’m- because that isn’t fair to you. I took advantage of the fact Dongmin- er- well I used him to set up this situation, but then when you told me how you felt, about breaking your engagement, I didn’t say anything. Kept using this situation, selfishly-”

“Bin.” Minhyuk reaches over, taps Bin on the forehead. Bin blinks in surprise, reaches his free hand up to hold his head. Minhyuk’s expression remains calm, neutral. A contrast to the anger Bin seems to expect. “What are you so nervous for?”

“Aren’t you upset?”

“Should I be?” Minhyuk sits back, looks away from Bin. “Let me guess, you weren’t going to mention this, but something happened?”

“Something?” Bin repeats, confused. “Minhyuk, you’ve been acting weird.”

“Have I?”

“I figured- well- what Sanha said…”

“What Sanha said?”

“I figured you were bothered by that.” Bin pauses, frowning, and Minhyuk waits. The silence is drawn out, longer than is normal, until Bin shakes his head. “I- uh- I don’t know if you’re just worried about him, or if you- if him saying he liked you- well, anyway, you’ve been acting differently, so I thought… it wasn’t fair to keep this up, without telling you, when- well- if you…”

“If I?”

“I don’t know.”

Minhyuk hums. Shakes his head, and faces Bin again, this time taking both of his hands. “I’m worried about Sanha, not thinking about his _confession_.”

“Oh.”

“Well, mostly.”

“Mostly?”

“Anyway.” Minhyuk shakes his head again. “When he recommended I pretend to date you, I thought Eunwoo was acting strange, so this explains a lot.”

“Yeah.”

“So let me guess; the fake relationship between Sanha and Dongmin,” Minhyuk starts, only for Bin to cut him off.

“How did you know it was fake?!”

“Literally everything Sanha said, at the party?”

“Oh, right…”

“You knew about that, and then got him to set us up in one, too.”

“Yeah…”

“But… is their fake relationship even about the engagement?” Minhyuk’s question is quieter. He frowns, while Bin looks at him in surprise. Then, slowly, Bin shakes his head. “Then- what? Trying to make someone jealous.”

“What? Where- uh- would you get that idea?”

“Okay so that’s a yes.” Minhyuk hums, considering this. “Jinwoo?”

“How?!”

“I guessed.”

“Oh.”

“Thanks for confirming it.”

“Minhyuk, please-”

“I wont say anything.”

“Okay. Why’d you guess Jinwoo?”

“There was a fifty percent chance, obviously.”

“What?”

“Well it’s not either of us. If it was you, this wouldn’t be a thing.”

“Right?”

“It’s not Sanha, or Sanha wouldn’t-” Minhyuk shakes his head. “So Myungjun or Jinwoo.”

“You know it didn’t _have_  to be someone in our friend group.”

“It did.”

“Huh?!”

“I’m not convinced Dongmin even knows people outside of our friend group exist,” Minhyuk jokes, and Bin tries very hard not to laugh at that. “So I guessed.”

“I see.” Bin laughs, tone lighter than it was for most of their conversation.

“Actually it kind of makes sense.”

“Does it?”

“Remember right after new years?”

“When he got drunk and complained about how pretty boys were?”

“Yeah. Now that I think about it, he only ever mentioned those two, and Jinwoo more than Myungjun.”

“Oh, I remember that.” Bin nods, then quotes in a poor imitation of Dongmin’s voice. _“”Myungjun has pretty lips? No! Jinwoo does too? That’s not fair, he’s already too pretty.”_  Something like that?”

“I really thought he was just buttering up his ride home when it happened, but I feel kind of dumb, now.” Minhyuk sighs. “Maybe I just didn’t want to realize, then.”

“Mhm.” Bin nods. “You okay?”

“Yeah. I already know that what I felt wasn’t really… what I thought I felt.” Minhyuk shrugs. “We okay?”

“Yeah? I- shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

“Maybe!” Minhyuk grins. “Let’s talk about something less revolving around our friend’s love lives, for the rest of our date, okay?”

“Okay.” A pause. “Wait- date?!”

Minhyuk squeezes Bin’s hands, reminding him they’re still being held. “Yeah, obviously.”

“Oh. You still want to-”

“Let’s figure out if this date is fake, before it’s over.” Minhyuk winks, only to immediately pull his hands back, to cover his face, embarrassed. Minhyuk’s embarrassment eases any of Bin’s.

“Cute. Did you fall for your fake boyfriend, Minhyuk?”

“Says the one who started out fallen for his.” Minhyuk looks away. “I haven’t decided yet.”

“Harsh.” Bin laughs, shakes his head. Despite the uncertainty of it, he feels lighter, somehow. Less like he’s lying to Minhyuk, or taking advantage of the situation.

* * *

“Actually me and Sanha… are dating, yeah.” Dongmin isn’t sure what possesses him to say it. Can’t quite place the reason, in the many he had to give either possible response. But the words fall from him without thought. That had been the plan, anyway, hadn’t it? (But, then, wouldn’t Jinwoo definitely stay quiet if he liked Dongmin, while Dongmin was in a relationship? Why had he done that?)

“Oh.”

“Oh?” Dongmin repeats, but Jinwoo just offers him a smile.

“I’m happy for you two, then.” _Then_ , he says. Jinwoo’s smile is small, and Dongmin doesn’t know how to feel. Doesn’t think he can properly gauge what Jinwoo’s response is. Doesn’t know if there are any signs of disappointment, there, or if he just _wants_ there to be.

“Yeah- hey, I actually should probably go. I need to stop by my dorm, before my next class.”

Jinwoo nods. “See you later.”

“Yeah.”

Dongmin’s heart hurts. He isn’t sure why. It wasn’t a rejections, not even a sign of anything.

(Why does it hurt?)

 

“I’m an idiot!” Dongmin’s words are not a proper greeting, and he knows that, but Sanha lets him into his dorm, anyway. Lets Dongmin drop onto his bed, before asking.

“What happened?”

“I had the _perfect_  chance to confess, or- I don’t know- at least figure out how Jinwoo felt, and I threw it away.”

“Oh?” Sanha’s tone is off, and Dongmin can’t quite figure out why. He sits up, to look at Sanha. To question him. But, Sanha speaks before he can. “How did you do that?”

“I-” Dongmin shakes his head. “Are you okay?”

“Fine, you woke me up.”

“Did I?”

“Mhm. I passed out when I got back.” Sanha shrugs, laughing nervously. “So, what did you do?”

“I confirmed to Jinwoo that we were dating.”

“Technically you can’t confirm something that’s a lie.”

“Still!” Dongmin sighs, presses his face into his hands. “Why did I do that? The whole reason we didn’t tell anyone _directly_  was so we could deny it, and he might actually-”

“Is that why?”

“Huh?”

“You never told me why.” Sanha’s voice is light, quiet. “You just said what.”

“Oh.” Dongmin pauses, raising his head. “Yeah. I figured Jinwoo wouldn’t act jealous, or whatever, if we were confirmed together, because he’s a good friend, you know?”

“Yeah…”

“So if we act differently, but don’t confirm it, jealousy is possible without- well- silence.”

“Except that hasn’t really _worked_  has it?” Sanha looks away from Dongmin. Sits in his desk chair and leans against his desk. “Maybe Jinwoo just doesn’t _like you_.”

“I-” Dongmin struggles to respond. When he finally finds his voice, it’s barely a squeak. “What?”

“Have you considered he might not like you in that way, Dongmin?” Sanha’s voice is louder, now, but there’s a shakiness to it. Like the words are coming, despite him. “Not everyone is going to.”

“Not-” Dongmin gasps, the words setting in- “What?! Not _everyone?_ Nobody does!”

“What?!”

“No one does!” Dongmin stands, arms moving to emphasis his words, as the words themselves don’t feel like _enough_. “Or if they do nobodies ever _honestly_  told me. Because I was engaged or they only liked me for- _and_ Jinwoo is the first person _I’ve_  honestly liked that wasn’t Minhyuk- who was basically required to spend time with me for years!”

And, maybe, Jinwoo isn’t the only person he’s liked, since. Dongmin would be lying, if he said he was. Jinwoo was just the longest lasting crush; the one that hadn’t otherwise been ruined. (Except the most recent, but Dongmin was pushing that aside, because he was supposed to be _stronger_  than Bin and Minhyuk were supposed to be, right? And, anyway, it’s small. If he lets it, it’ll fade, he thinks. Wont it?)

“You- you’re so freaking stupid.” Sanha’s voice is barely audible, muttered, and its tone is higher than his natural, normal, voice. Then, the shakiness returns. His voice breaks, as he speaks. “Then let’s _break up_ , and you can go to _Jinwoo_  for comfort, and maybe you can just _confess_  to him, and he’ll admit he liked you but didn’t want to say it. How about that? You- you think that’s a good plan? If he _does_  like you, it works, if not he’ll at least be nice about.”

And all at once, Dongmin realizes something is _wrong_. “Sanha?”

“What?”

“Are you… okay?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” A smile works its way onto Sanha’s face, but Dongmin isn’t so oblivious he doesn’t notice it's fake.

“Sanha, what’s-” Dongmin shakes his head. Thinks vaguely about Sanha drinking himself sick and crying, but not telling Dongmin _why_. “I’m sorry- I- I know I just invaded your dorm talking about my problems, but if something’s wrong you can talk to me.”

“Can I?” Sanha’s question feels accusatory, despite his still-weak voice.

“Huh?”

“You’re… really selfish, you know that?” Sanha continues, before Dongmin can respond. “What do you want me to say? You can’t fix my problems. I can’t ask you for help with them.”

“But- you can still talk to me about them. You’re my _friend_ , you know?” Dongmin breathes a sigh, feeling exhausted. Emotions are exhausting. “I told you, right? You aren’t just going to be forgotten about, if the plan _does_  work.”

“Right…”

“I mean, if I was going to do that I would have already.”

“What?”

“What?” Dongmin repeats, meeting Sanha’s eyes.

“What do you mean you would have already?”

“I mean at the party- oh. Never mind.” Sanha didn’t know about Dongmin giving up his original chance to confess, because Sanha being sick was more important, did he? Dongmin is pretty sure it doesn’t matter that much, anyway.

“No- no you can’t just _not_  explain.”

“It’s not a big deal. Forget it.” Dongmin shrugs.

“Okay…”

“But, _really_ , you can tell me if something’s wrong, you know?”

“I’m… fine.” Sanha shakes his head. “I’ll tell you later, okay? I need to emotionally prepare!” Sanha’s smile, at least, feels somewhat genuine, then.

“Okay.”

“But- hey- that plan I came up wasn’t the worst, right?”

“Plan?”

“Us breaking up- _fake_ breaking up- and you going to Jinwoo. Right?”

“Well, I guess.”

“You guess? You liked my other plans.” Sanha pouts.

“It feels a bit… manipulative? More than _this_  does. Making him jealous is a whole lot different from- like- making up heartache to get his attention.”

“Oh, I see your point.”

“Thank you, though. I’ll try and figure something out, okay? I bet you want this over with, too.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t you?”

“Why would I?”

“Because it’s taking up your time, too? And you can’t exactly date anyone if you’re supposed to be in a relationship, right?”

“I told you, didn’t I?” Sanha grins. “Mutual gain.”

“You never explained that.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Does it have to do with what you’re upset about?”

“Oh- well- kind of.”

“Okay. Then I’ll wait for you to tell me.” Dongmin breathes a sigh. “Are you as exhausted as I am?”

“Maybe.”

“If I- like- fall asleep right here, would you be mad?”

“A little; I sleep there.” Sanha frowns, and Dongmin shrugs, leaning back with his weight on his hands.

“So? It seemed like we had plenty of space when you _didn’t let me leave_  last time.”

Sanha groans, hiding his face. “I can’t be held accountable for drunk me.”

* * *

“Hey, Jinwoo, what’s that expression about?” Myungjun asks, as he runs up to walk beside the other. His final class for the day has ended, and he’s fairly sure- if he remembers Jinwoo’s schedule- that his has, too.

“What expression?”

“That one?” Myungjun pokes Jinwoo’s face, getting a frown in return. “You okay?”

“I just found out you were right, is all.”

“About?”

“Sanha and Dongmin.”

“I told you!” Myungjun grins, until he looks at Jinwoo’s expression more closely. “Does that bother you?”

“I don’t know if it _bothers_  me.”

“But?” Myungjun draws the word out, knowing there’s more to it.

“I don’t know. I guess it just feels… weird.”

“Weird.” Myungjun hums, considering this. “Do you… like one of them?”

“Sanha is like twelve.”

“That’s not a denial.” Myungjun points out, while literally pointing. Jinwoo rolls his eyes, but doesn’t actually _argue_. (Which bothers Myungjun, honestly. If Jinwoo actually did like one of them, he would have noticed, wouldn’t he? How could he not, when paying as much attention to Jinwoo as he does? When spending as much time with Jinwoo as he does.)

“It is, actually,” Jinwoo says, finally. “No, it’s just… Dongmin _really_ hesitated to say it.”

“Oh.”

“So I’m worried for Sanha, you know?”

Myungjun hums, considering. “I don’t think hesitating means anything bad. They didn’t tell us, themselves, so maybe he wasn’t sure he was ready to?”

“You think?”

“Yeah!” Myungjun nods. When Jinwoo seems relived at this, Myungjun _feels_  relieved. Was that all there was to Jinwoo’s expression? Myungjun can deal with that. Can accept that.

* * *

When Dongmin returns to his own dorm, just as the sun’s setting, it’s for Bin to immediately jump to his feet and grab Dongmin’s arms.

“I have a boyfriend!”

“Uh- yeah? I should hope so?” Dongmin tilts his head, and Bin shakes his in turn.

“No- no a _real_  one.”

“Minhyuk?”

“Yeah.” A nod.

“That’s great,” Dongmin says, honestly. Smiles. At least one of them is having luck. “Does that mean you’re done blackmailing me?”

“Oh- uh- about that…”

“What did you do.”

“Accidentally told Minhyuk- well- everything? I only meant to tell him about my part! But- well…”

Dongmin shakes his head. Thinks to the original plans. _**Obstacle 3: Bin’s inability to keep secrets.**_ “Just he knows?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s okay, then.” Dongmin smiles. “He can keep a secret, at least.”

“I feel vaguely insulted.”

“Don’t. Congrats on successively getting your relationship.”

“Thanks.” Bin smiles, pauses. “How’s your plan going, by the way?”

“My plan…” Dongmin sighs, shaking his head. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“I’m not sure there is one, anymore.”

“Oh.”

 

If he thinks about it, honestly, Dongmin knows his plans are pointless. They’re too complicated, too dependent on sitting and waiting and not _doing_  anything. So he has to do something.

Even if that something is giving up or admitting he lied.

Dongmin writes a new set of plans- options.

 

**The plan to fix things or at least be less sad in the future maybe:**

  * Option 1. Honestly tell Jinwoo the truth. Confess, explain why he lied, apologize, and be _honest_  for once. Hope that maybe he'd just missed the signs of Jinwoo returning his feelings.
  * Option 2. Give up. Stop chasing after someone who thus far hasn’t shown an interest in him, and try to _move on_  with his feelings. Stop hurting himself, by failing, and stop using the others to do it.



 

“Dongmin?” Bin calls, from below, as Dongmin sits on his own bunk. “You okay up there?”

“Yeah, I just realized something.”

“What’s that?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Honestly Confess** or **Give up On Jinwoo**  
>  (btw not telling the truth now doesn't mean he'll /never/ admit to lying, just that it isn't the immediate course of action.)
> 
> Dongmin you fucking idiot like half the ppl in this story do or used to like you
> 
> Jokes on ya'll, you already locked bin and minhyuk into a relationship, ha. (Well, unless you purposefully try to break them up, i guess. but no guarantee that they'd end up with someone else if you did.) 
> 
> oh and uh sanha's comment on dongmin being "selfish" would have been Very Worse if he had left Sanha to MJ during the party.  
> like "i contacted *you specifically* because i needed help and you left me with someone else entirely so you could fail to confess to your crush you selfish asshole" worse.
> 
> im really tired to hopefully i didn't miss any typos. blah. (Yes im going to sleep after this i promise.)
> 
> oh yeah also i started another astro story (bc apparently 2 ongoing ones werent enough ha... the aroha part of me is too strong apparenlty.). it doesn't have any voting elements and is just straight up binhyuk but it's there if ur into that. there's magic and stuff.


	7. Telling The Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> majority voted to confess everything to jinwoo
> 
> ..........................  
> kay

“Yeah, I just realized something.”

“What’s that?”

“I’m a horrible liar,” Dongmin says, simply, blandly. Bin eyes him, clearly confused. “So I should stop.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

 

Dongmin knows that admitting he lied wont go over perfectly, but, maybe, admitting it is better than it being revealed some other way. And, maybe, if he confesses _everything_ , then confessing what he should have a long time ago will be easier, too. Dongmin forces himself to hope so. Texts Sanha- tells Sanha what he’s going to do, tells him that he’s sorry for asking for help so much, only to not use any of it- and then asks Jinwoo if they can talk later. Tomorrow. (Sanha reads the message, but doesn’t respond. Jinwoo agrees.)

Dongmin met Jinwoo when the later was in his final year of high school, Dongmin the year bellow him. Jinwoo- looking for more credits- was a part-time tutor for his juniors, and Dongmin had really, desperately, needed an A in his math class. They became friends quickly, but it hadn’t started there, the crush. That hadn’t started until two years later, in his first year of college. In the midst of him realizing that he didn’t want to be engaged, and quickly falling for everyone else he was friends with only to just as quickly fall out of those feelings, Dongmin fell for Jinwoo, and just… never fell out of those feelings. Which, honestly, surprised him. Made him not realize how bad it was, for months.

Then, one day, Jinwoo tripped face-first into a table, and once assured he was fine, the only thing Dongmin could think was, __“_ I love him.”_

It got worse, from there. Until he started to be jealous of how much time Jinwoo and Myungjun spent together. (Later, he forced himself to get past that. To remind himself that they’re friends. That Myungjun is his friend, too, and if they did like each other he’d be happy for them, despite his own feelings. And, besides, they weren’t together, just friends.) Until Dongmin stopped falling for anyone else, for a time. Stopped paying attention to anyone else.

And, maybe, that had lessened recently. Dongmin certainly felt _something_ for someone else. (Someone- Sanha, but he didn’t _mean_ to feel that. Didn’t intend it, and it wasn’t going to stop his feelings for Jinwoo, so he couldn’t pay attention to it. _Wouldn’t_.) And yet, his feelings for Jinwoo, themselves, hadn’t changed.

The whole plan, in its entirety, was probably bad. And, maybe, if he had done _something_ differently- even one thing- it might not have been as useless as it was, but that didn’t matter. It wasn’t doing him any good. It wasn’t doing anyone any good. (Whatever Sanha got, “mutual gain,” from, for the plan, he could help him with in another way, probably. Would, if Sanha would explain it to him, but not with _this_ plan.) And it certainly wasn’t helping Dongmin get Jinwoo’s attention.

So, what was the point?

 

“So,” Jinwoo starts, as he and Dongmin walk towards their destination. A nearby park, where either of them could easily leave, but there aren’t many people, since it’s so close to campus, and the weather isn’t great this time of year. “Is something wrong?”

“Uh… yeah.” Dongmin looks away, tugs on his own sleeve. “I have to tell you something. You might… be mad at me? I wouldn’t blame you, honestly, but I hope you’ll let me explain, and apologize, before you get mad at me?”

“Okay?” Jinwoo’s concern is obvious, in his tone. Dongmin honestly wanted to save this conversation until they were at their destination, but the more time passes, the less sure he is he’ll actually be able to say what he wants. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Dongmin nods, stares at the ground. “Yeah.”

“Then, what is it?”

“Well- firstly, me and Sanha?” Dongmin pauses, silent for long enough that Jinwoo speaks.

“You and Sanha?”

“We’re not dating.”

“You broke up?”

“No- we- we never were dating. It was fake, and I only said we were, yesterday, because I panicked.”

“Oh.” Jinwoo looks like he’s going to say something else, when Dongmin finally faces him, but Dongmin doesn’t give him the chance to.

“It’s not because of my engagement.”

“Then… why?”

“You.”

“What?”

“I’m in love with you.”

“Oh.”

“And-” Dongmin shakes his head, then clears his throat- “and I was too afraid to tell you, honestly, so I went to Sanha for advice. I don’t know why him, specifically, but he said- jokingly- we should pretend to date, and see how you react, and I’m an idiot so I said we might as well try it. I know that’s dumb, and obviously didn’t do anything to- well- to help the situation. We- uh- I told him I was going to be honest, too, so… so now I’m being honest. I’m in love with you, Jinwoo.”

Dongmin stops walking, faces Jinwoo fully, and watches his reaction. Jinwoo stops, a few steps ahead of him. Then, slowly, Jinwoo turns to face Dongmin, too. And, when he does, he breathes a sigh that Dongmin doesn’t know the reason for. Is he angry? Upset? Relieved? Tired?

“Dongmin…”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t- I can’t return your feelings.”

“Okay.” It hurts, of course it does, but Dongmin nods. Knows he should have expected that. Knows nothing he could say would change it, so he says, “okay,” again.

“You shouldn’t have lied, you know that, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So I’m not going to be… angry with you, like you seem to think I will.” Jinwoo takes a step closer, just one, and grabs one of Dongmin’s hands. “Thank you for being honest with me, finally.”

“You’re really… not going to be angry with me? You- you should at least… tell me off for being an idiot, right? This-”

“Dongmin.”

“Yes?”

“I’m not going to, “tell you off,” when I just _rejected you.”_

“Right…”

“Do you- uh- want to leave?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” JInwoo nods, steps back, and lets go of Dongmin’s hand. Slowly, processing, Dongmin turns around and starts walking back to campus. To his dorm. Once he’s out of Jinwoo’s sight, he starts walking faster. Eyes tearing up despite himself. He expected this, he tries to remind himself.

He shouldn’t be surprised.

“How did- oh.” Bin’s voice barely reaches Dongmin, as he slams their dorm’s door. (He doesn’t mean to, but his shaking hands can barely close it, without the force.) Dongmin drops onto Bin’s bed, too out of himself to climb a ladder. “Are you okay? No that’s dumb, sorry-”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re crying.”

“I’ll be fine.” Dongmin muffles his words into Bin’s pillow, while the other sits on the edge of the bed. Patting Dongmin’s back, Bin responds, but Dongmin can’t process the words.

 _“Have you considered he might not like you in that way, Dongmin?”_ Sanha was right, Dongmin realizes. Laughs, because it hurts and and he doesn’t want to sob.

“Do you want to be alone?” Bin’s words finally reach him.

“Yeah.”

“Okay. I’ll have my phone, if you need me.”

“Thank you.”

Dongmin, once, thought he knew exactly what his future held. Knew exactly what his _love life_  was going to be like. When he was fourteen, and he found out his pen-pal was meant to be his eventual fiance, he thought he had everything figured out. Even if he only just found out _Rocky’s_ name was actually _Minhyuk_.

At sixteen, he realized maybe things weren’t so simple. When Minhyuk- who he’d finally gotten to know in person- started looking at Bin the way he thought they would have looked at each other. (Which was hypocritical, at the time, if he looked back at it, because he probably did the same thing.) For a short- very short- time, it hurt. But he’d moved on, because it wasn’t like they _had_ to love each other. They were in an arranged marriage, after all. And, later, when he realized they didn’t actually _have_ to get married, it hurt even less.

And then he realized he had no idea what the future held.

Without knowing what was going to happen- or thinking he knew, anyway- Dongmin suddenly found himself _terrified_. So he never acted on any of his feelings, never accepted anyone else’s claimed feeling for him. And, when he fell in love with Jinwoo, he was even more terrified. Because it didn’t fade away, because it was _real_ , and he had no idea what to do about it. How could he do anything about it, when they were friends? When he had no idea what Jinwoo felt?

Well, he knows now. Dongmin’s chest hurts, his face feels warm, vision is blurry when he actually tries to open his eyes. But weirdly, he isn’t surprised.

So maybe he knew what the future held, after all. He had every reason to be scared, didn’t he?

So his fiance is going to finally break their engagement, and be with Bin, and they’ll be happy. And Jinwoo doesn’t love him. (But why would he?) And Sanha is upset about _something_ but doesn’t trust Dongmin enough to tell him. And, maybe, Dongmin shouldn’t even bother.

What was he going to do? Everyone else already knows the situation- except Myungjun, but he doubts that’ll last for long- and one of the two people he has feelings for rejected him. It wasn’t like he could just pursue his other feelings, all of the sudden. That wouldn’t be fair to Sanha _or_ himself. (Even if his feelings were originally genuine, it would still seem like rebound. And that wasn’t taking into account that there was a real chance Sanha also wouldn’t return his feelings. Nobody had, so far. Why would Sanha be any different?)

Dongmin breathes sigh, sits up, and looks for the planning papers. Finds them in the drawers on Bin’s side of their desk. Rips all but one of them up. The very first one remains, while Dongmin finds a pen.

> ~~**Goal:**  Date Jinwoo.~~
> 
> _**Failure.** _

* * *

Myungjun isn’t exactly the most mature of Sanha’s friends. That title often went to Minhyuk or Jinwoo, depending on the day. Sometimes Dongmin, but not often, and especially not recently. Yet, Myungjun is the oldest of them- and only one step away from graduating- so he has his moments. When it comes to emotions, especially, Myungjun can usually be trusted to at least listen well. Which is why, when Sanha reads Dongmin’s message, he asks Myungjun if they can hang out.

Which really just means he asks Myungjun to listen to his problems. Being that Myungjun is a good friend, he shows up even realizing this. So they sit on a bench, on campus, because Sanha waited outside for Myungjun’s class to end, and didn’t feel like moving.

“What’s wrong, Sanha?”

“I did something stupid.”

“Are you okay?”

“Maybe?” Sanha shakes his head. “Can I tell you something, honestly?”

“Of course.”

So Sanha explains. Tells Myungjun about suggesting to Dongmin the worst possible plan. Of agreeing- _offering_ \- to help. The mutual gain he talked of really just being the chance to pretend they were dating. Of becoming quickly overwhelmed with his own feelings. Of Dongmin lying to Jinwoo. Of Dongmin finally deciding to be honest and Sanha not knowing what to do with his own feelings.

“If they get together, I don’t know what to do with myself, but if they don’t it isn’t like I can just suddenly confess when he’s at his weakest, you know? So I just… don’t know what to do with my feelings. What _should_ I do?”

“I don’t know.” The answer is honest, small in a way Myungjun’s voice isn’t usually. Myungjun pulls Sanha closer, lets Sanha rest his head on Myungjun’s shoulder. Wraps an arm around Sanha’s shoulders, as he talks. “I can’t tell you what the best thing to do is. But if keeping quiet is hurting you-”

“That’s not it.”

“Oh?”

“I was fine keeping quiet, before. I don’t _need_ to- to tell him. I don’t need him to know. I don’t need- I don’t need to _say it._ I just wish- I don’t know- that I didn’t have these feelings on top of the other ones.”

“Other ones?”

“If everyone- if they start dating, I’m scared I’ll be alone. I know everyone will _say_ that’s not true, but I’m still scared.”

“Sanha…”

“I’m just… tired. I want a _break_ , you know? From thinking about it, _all the time_. I guess that’ll be easier, now that the fake-dating is over, but…”

“Hey, Sanha?”

“Mhm?”

“Would you prefer ice cream, or pizza, right now?”

“Can I not say both?”

“Both it is, then.” Myungjun stands, pulling Sanha to his feet, too. Holds tightly onto his hand. “I know food wont fix things. I know you’re hurting. But you want a break, right? Then video games, or a movie?”

“Movie.” Sanha smiles, softly, as Myungjun pulls him forward.

“To the dorms, then!”

“What about the food?”

“Oh, right… across the street, first!” Myungjun offers Sanha a smile, and Sanha returns it, honestly.

“Thank you.”

“When you have enough energy- when you’re not as tired, we can talk about it, again. Figure out what you should do, that’s best for you. But right now, what kind of movie do you want to watch?”

“Horror.”

“What?! You hate horror?!” Myungjun’s startled tone is enough to make Sanha laugh.

“Yeah, and I definitely wont be thinking about _this_ if I’m terrified.”

“We’re both going to regret this.”

“Probably…” That’s fine, though. Sanha already has plenty of regrets. So he gives a pause, then speaks. “Maybe we should invite someone else.”

“Yeah. Minhyuk and Bin?”

“Yeah.”

* * *

Dongmin goes to class, the next day, and pretends everything’s normal. Doesn’t think about Jinwoo, and focuses on school work. (But he _does_ think about Jinwoo. A _lot_. Sprinkled with a few thoughts about Sanha; mostly worry. Thinks about if he could have done something different, _better_ , to change the result, or if he was doomed from the start. Part of him wishes he’d never confessed. Can’t focus on his professors words, because his head hurts from crying, and that just reminds him what he’d been crying about.)

Everything’s fine, when lunch rolls around, honestly. Minhyuk and Bin are happy. Sanha and Myungjun are apparently hanging out, more. Jinwoo doesn’t avoid Dongmin entirely, though he doesn’t really look at him, or talk to him directly, either. Yet it feels weirdly normal.

Maybe that’s worse.

* * *

Of all the people who could have, Jinwoo would never have expected Dongmin to confess to him. Was surprised, more than anything. A little upset about the lying, worried again about Sanha, but surprised more than anything. And he couldn’t return those feelings, either.

Maybe, at one point in his life, he would have. But that wasn’t anymore, wasn’t _now_ , so he’d couldn’t.

Because he had feelings for someone else, and that wouldn’t have been fair. But, then, now he doesn’t know if he can do anything about that, either. Though, not doing anything is fine. He’d done so for years, even if it’s getting harder, lately. Hiding it is more difficult, and not just because he doesn’t really want to. (But Myungjun hasn’t noticed yet, at least.)

* * *

Myungjun learns a lot, over the course of three days. Firstly: every member of his friend group is an idiot in one way or another. (Even Bin and Minhyuk, though they hadn't done anything.) Secondly: Dongmin is number one idiot, despite expectation. Thirdly: Sanha is unfortunately in _feelings_ with said idiot, but wants nothing more than to keep that to himself. Fourthly: Minhyuk and Bin’s relationship is apparently real, now.

Finally: now is a _really_ bad time to have his own feelings slap him in the face. And, yet, there they are.

See, Myungjun _knew_ he had feelings for Jinwoo. That isn't new, far from it. He’s had those a long time, but it was pretty easy to ignore them. Despite being friends so long, Myungjun knows how to hide things from Jinwoo more than one would expect, and had kept his feelings to himself for years. Yet, hearing that Dongmin had feelings for Jinwoo, and was going to _confess_ them, made that hit him like a truck. He kept quiet, again, though, because Sanha was hurting, and it wasn’t the time.

And, then, when Jinwoo had come to him, the next day, with _that_ expression on his face, Myungjun kept quiet.

_“Dongmin confessed to me,” Jinwoo had said. And Myungjun nodded, faked a surprised expression. Asked about Dongmin's, "relationship," with Sanha because he wasn't supposed to know it was fake. Let Jinwoo explain that, first, before continuing. “I rejected him.”_

_“You did?”_

_“Yeah.” Jinwoo sighed, then shook his head. “There was probably a time I wouldn’t have, but…”_

_“But?”_

_“But I did. I have feelings for someone else, anyway, but now I don’t know what to do about that.”_

And Myungjun could understand Jinwoo’s words. Got it. Because he didn’t know what to do, either. After all, could he really act on his own feelings, knowing what he did? Could he do that, knowing that Dongmin is still processing his rejection? (And even if he did, what if he wasn't the someone else Jinwoo was talking about?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should _**Myungjun**_ **Confess** or **Keep Quiet**  
>  yeah ur voting for myungjun now, live with it
> 
> y'all i need to tell u you made every possible choice to assure jinwoo rejected dongmin. think of it like a point system? getting one wrong lessens points, and if you hit 0 u lose the chance. in this case, you subtracted points with every choice except the one that was focused on bin and minhyuk  
> 1\. Acting differently and wait. -points from jinwoo  
> 2\. Go to Sanha. -points from jinwoo +points to sanha (CLARIFICATION: this is only the bad choice in the route where you chose for them to not announce they were dating. if eunwoo and sanha said they were dating, then this would have been the good choice for jinwoo since he would have been like "oh shit dongmin is a good bf huh" or something idk. but on this route? bad for the romance.)  
> 3\. Tell Jinwoo they're dating. -points to jinwoo. (bc they kept quiet originally, it just made him worried about said relationship and both of them, and bc sanha is a baby, his worry was mostly directed to sanha, and made him kinda suspicious of dongmin. even after learning this truth this put some negative association in his mind.)
> 
> thus, rejection.  
> but! some of you didn't want jinwoo and dongmin to end up together, so hey, that's good right? well now dongmin probably can't exactly go around confessing to sanha and seeming like the boys a rebound so uh  
> good job i guess.  
> i really.........really tired to warn y'all. but subtly.  
> wonder if this can be fixed? who knows i've said enough as is.
> 
> when this is over maybe i'll tell u what all added or subtracted points from each person bc it's more than what i just said and it's not all for dongmins relationships.
> 
> shout out to like 2013-2015 me who wrote angst better than literally every other genre, u got me through this. "angst master" makes a comeback.  
> i say that but this isn't as sad as i could have made it. honestly was gonna make it worse tbh.


	8. Confession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> but like not the astro song
> 
> majority vote: confess!

So, Myungjun is acting strangely. Dongmin doesn’t know why, but he definitely is. Too quiet, sending too many odd glances at Jinwoo. Thinks back to the obstacles of his now-failed plan, and wonders if he was wrong. Myungjun wasn’t just an obstacle because of his friendship, but also because he had the same feelings Dongmin did.

He was guessing, of course, but Dongmin wouldn’t be surprised if that turned out to be true. It hurt, still, thinking about them liking each other, but another part of him knew his feelings about it didn’t matter. He’d been rejected, already.

“Do you think Myungjun likes Jinwoo?” Dongmin asks, not really expecting Bin to answer. Bin pauses where he’s grabbing his laptop bag. Doesn’t respond, for a moment, not that Dongmin really needs an answer.

“Honestly?”

“Honestly.”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. You think Jinwoo likes him?”

“Maybe…”

“Right.” Dongmin breathes a sigh, stares at the ceiling. “I think so too.”

“Does that bother you?”

“A little, I guess,” Dongmin says, voice quiet. “But even if it does, it doesn’t really matter, right?”

“Your feelings matter?” Bin’s tone betrays his worry. Dongmin breathes a laugh, lacking humor but not dishonest.

“I know, that’s not what I meant.”

“Okay…”

* * *

“Hey, Jinwoo, you ready for me to ruin you day?” Myungjun throws an arm over Jinwoo’s shoulders, as he speaks. Jinwoo turns to him, raising an eyebrow. Shifts his school bag, pulling slightly away from Myungjun, but not out of his grip.

“Can it wait until after my last class?”

“It’ll be really quick,” Myungjun promises. Wants to get the words out before he starts hesitating. Jinwoo’s class also gives Jinwoo a good excuse to escape, if his response to Myungjun is negative. (Myungjun has spent a lot of time thinking about this. About what the best way to go about his confession is.)

“If you say so.” Jinwoo offers a small smile, barely hiding his disbelief.

“Hey, have a little faith in me!”

“I do. I do.” Jinwoo holds up his hands, and Myungjun rolls his eyes.

“I- well- I know now might not be the best time to tell you this, but…”

“But?”

“You know how we’re basically dating?”

“Yes, that is in fact a joke we make, regularly.” Jinwoo’s stilted sentence nearly makes Myungjun forget to properly respond.

“Sometime- okay, all the time- I wish we actually were? Because I’m maybe- very- in love with you?”

“Oh.”

“ _Yeah_.” Myungjun draws the word out, finally taking a step away from Jinwoo. “So, that is… a thing.”

“Okay.”

“Jinwoo, please, give me a response.”

“I still can’t take you to dinner; I really am broke. College, you know?”

“Huh?”

“But if you’re okay with that, then, okay.”

“What?”

“I also like you, obviously.”

“ _Obviously_ ,” Myungjun repeats, rolling his eyes. “I wouldn’t say it was at all obvious, actually.”

“It is now?”

“Sure, okay.” Myungjun knocks their shoulders together, then holds out one of his hands. “I’ll walk you to your lecture.”

“Romantic,” Jinwoo says, sarcasm etched in his voice. Still, he takes Myungjun’s hand.

“I know. You don’t deserve me.”

"Obviously."

 

Later, they come to the realization that there’s one issue. Should they tell the others they’re dating? Specifically, they worry about sharing this development with Dongmin. (Myungjun also worries about Sanha, for similar but slightly different reasons. He may not be watching a crush end up in a relationship, but his heart is also hurting.)

This debate falls apart when, in the midst of their next group lunch, Minhyuk points at the two of them and asks, simply, “you dating?”

“What?!” Myungjun’s raise in pitch makes Jinwoo, next to him, flinch. Minhyuk tilts his head, waiting for a real response. Bin, next to Minhyuk, puts his face in his hands, shaking his head. Sanha looks at Jinwoo and Myungjun, as if trying to figure out what Minhyuk is seeing that he hadn’t.

“Uh…” Jinwoo responds, intelligently.

“So that’s a _yes_ ,” Dongmin says, drawing Myungjun’s attention. Dongmin, elbow on the table, chin on his hand, eyes them for a moment, until Myungjun finally nods. “Congratulations, Myungjun.”

“Why just him?” Jinwoo mutters, barely audible. Dongmin laughs, but Myungjun can tell it’s slightly off.

“Well, I’m happy for you both, but…”

“Thank you,” Myungjun says, allowing Dongmin not to finish his trailing sentence. Knows whatever the meaning behind his words is would probably make things more awkward.

* * *

“Alright,” Dongmin starts, once Sanha opens his dorm door. Sanha stares at him, surprised, while Dongmin continues. “Now what’s up with you?”

“Now?”

“No, I mean, now tell me- never mind. Can I come in?”

“Sure…” Sanha steps aside, kicking books out of the way as Dongmin enters the room. “I told you I wasn’t ready to talk about _that_.”

“Sanha…” Dongmin breaths a sigh, turning to face him. “I’m worried about you.”

“Oh.”

“If you don’t want to talk about it, I can’t make you, but- just- are you okay? Are you going to be, at least?”

“Yeah.” Sanha smiles, nods, but Dongmin can tell something about it is _wrong_. “I just need… time?”

“Time.”

* * *

“Yeah. I’ll be okay. I just need to… get over some stuff.” _Over you_ , Sanha doesn’t say. Dongmin nods. “Are… you okay? After- well- your confessions, and now those two…”

“I think so.” Dongmin nods. Then, after a moment, he breathes a sigh. “I’m trying to be. It isn’t like I’m suddenly _less_ upset just because I’m happy _for_  them, but… it’s easier than I thought it would be? At least that part of it is.”

“That part?” Sanha frowns, feeling like that’s unfair. He feels _worse_  than he thought he would, but Dongmin is having an easier time than expected? The part of him that cares a lot about Dongmin wants to be happy that he’s not hurting as much as he could be, for as long. The other part of Sanha is bitter that he’s in more pain when his feelings are likely much more recent than Dongmin’s were.

“The- uh- Jinwoo part?”

“Isn’t that… all of it?”

“Oh.” A significant pause. “Yes…”

“Wait is it _not?”_ Sanha gasps, and Dongmin frowns at him. “What’s the other part?”

“Uh…”

“Did someone _else_  break your heart?”

“Not… exactly.”

“Oh. I was kidding. You have terrible luck you know that.” Sanha laughs, though he tries to cover it. It’s not _funny_ , he doesn’t really know why he wants to laugh. (Because they both had terrible luck? Because they both couldn’t fall for the people that already liked them?)

“I’m pretty weak willed, as it turns out.” Dongmin’s words are soft, broken by a light laugh to match Sanha’s. “But- hey- he can’t break my heart if I never confess.”

“What, is he also in a relationship?” Sanha tries, very hard, to keep his tone light. To not let any amount of jealousy show through. Dongmin doesn’t seem to notice anything, from what Sanha can tell, and responds normally.

“No. I just- well- you ever feel like you can’t do something, because it would be misunderstood?”

“Maybe?” Sanha tilts his head, frowning. “What is it?”

“I _just_  confessed to someone else, right? Even though I liked- uh- this person before I did that, too- which I did- it’d obviously seem like I was only confessing because I was rejected by someone else.”

“Oh.” Sanha nods, then. “I think I get it.”

“Yeah.”

Sanha, suddenly desperate for a change of topic, fumbles for something to say. (His chest hurts. Listening to Dongmin refer to someone else he liked, after everything else, was somehow worse than when he was talking about Jinwoo. At least Sanha knew, to start with, he was going to hear about Jinwoo.) Finally, Sanha’s brain supplies a topic, but not necessarily the one he wanted. “What are you going to do about your engagement, by the way?”

“What?”

“I mean- uh- is Minhyuk and Bin’s relationship going to break it?”

“Oh. Maybe? I hope so. I don’t think I can handle any more _pretending to date someone_ stuff. No offense, Sanha.”

“It’s fine. I hated it too.”

_“Hated?”_

“I mean it was awkward, right?”

“Yeah- I mean- I guess? Hated is a bit strong…” Dongmin frowns, and Sanha avoids his eyes.

“Well, it was just weird. Not very believable, in hindsight.”

“Myungjun believed it. Jinwoo, too.”

“Oh, well…”

“Did pretending to date me make you that uncomfortable? You remember it was your idea, right?” Dongmin huffs out a sigh. “You could have… told me you were uncomfortable.”

“It was pretty awful, honestly.” _Abort, abort._ Sanha tries to say literally _anything_  else, and fails. “We don’t make a believable couple.”

“I should go.” Dongmin’s words are sudden; they catch Sanha too off guard for him to respond. It isn’t until Dongmin has reached the dorm’s door, that Sanha finds words, again.

“Wait- I-”

“Yeah?”

“I didn’t mean it how it sounded.”

“What? That we aren't a believable couple? What else would that sound like? It’s okay Sanha. You’re probably right.”

“Not that part- the- the part about it being awful.”

“It’s fine.” Dongmin rolls his eyes, refusing to meet Sanha’s even after the fact.

“No, listen-” Sanha cuts himself off, shaking his head. What was he even going to _say?_ That it was awful only because he has feelings for Dongmin, and it was painfully close to what he actually wanted? Could he make something up? Maybe say he just didn’t like lying to their friends?

“What, Sanha?”

“I…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should Sanha ~~**Tell the truth** or **Say it was about Lying**~~  
>  voting is closed because i've already started writing the next chapter
> 
> blah  
> i don't know what to say about this chapter, i had a surprisingly difficult time writing it and idk why.
> 
> uhhh unrelated but listen to stray kids new album (the title track is my least favourite from it ha)


	9. Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “When you can say with certainty you wouldn’t choose Jinwoo, if he wanted to date you, over me, then you can ask me out.”  
> “Technically I can ask you out, anyway, you’ll just reject me.”  
> Sanha huffs, then laughs. “You know what I mean.”  
> “Yeah. Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a year!  
> just barely but it's not a year later, ha!  
> most of this chapter was already written, too, which is probably the worst part, whoops.  
> majority vote: confess

“I…” Sanha shakes his head. He can’t lie about this. He’s sick of lying about things. “I only meant it was difficult. Because- well- because I like you? And knowing it was fake was- it wasn’t exactly my favourite thing, you know? Well it was a little… nice? But- that was actually what the whole mutual gain thing was about?” Sanha’s words come out as questions, but he means them none the less. Dongmin eyes him oddly- Sanha shrinks under his gaze- while presumably processing this. Then, his eyes go wide.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” Sanha shifts weight from one foot to the other. “I don’t- uh- you’ve obviously got other stuff going on so don’t worry about this, just- I thought I should tell you the truth, and-”

“I like you too.”

“What?!”

“You were who… I meant, before. When I said I couldn’t confess, because it would sound disingenuous, even though I’ve felt this way… a while.”

Sanha should be happy- he is happy- but a part of him is just _confused_. Weirdly, this hurts more. Because Dongmin had liked him, and still chosen Jinwoo. (Even if the other rejected Dongmin, the fact remained Jinwoo was his first choice, Sanha wasn’t.)

“Should- Can we-”

“No.”

“What?” Dongmin’s confused tone- layered with bits of hurt- isn’t surprising. Sanha is shocked by his own response, by the certainty of it, too. Then, his brain catches up with his mouth, and he knows why he said it. What he wants.

“We shouldn’t date.”

“Oh…”

“Not- um- now at least?” Sanha might be weak-willed, too, but he can’t give up on the idea entirely, right now. “But we- even if you did like me before this, the fact- you still- you were in love with Jinwoo, and you still just got rejected. You- he was your first choice, I wasn’t.”

“Sanha…” Dongmin breathes a sigh, then nods. “Okay, I understand.”

“When you can say with certainty you wouldn’t choose Jinwoo, if he wanted to date you, over me, then you can ask me out.”

“Technically I can ask you out, anyway, you’ll just reject me.”

Sanha huffs, then laughs. “You know what I mean.”

“Yeah. Okay.”

* * *

Dongmin returns to an empty dorm with a weight in his chest that’s lighter than the last time he was rejected. Maybe it’s because Sanha does return his feelings, and it’s just a problem of timing, rather than entirely unreturned feelings. After approximately thirty minutes of thinking over his feelings, he finally forces himself to actually do school work that he most likely should have hours ago, instead of focusing on relationships.

 

With their relationship out in the open, Myungjun and Jinwoo are incredibly affectionate with each other. Most of it is the same as when they were friends, and weren’t being awkward, but it’s a lot more, now. Dongmin feels an aching jealousy in his chest that he keeps to himself. It’ll disappear, one day, wont it? It has to.

“You okay?” Sanha asks, one day when the two have left the table. Bin and Minhyuk remain, sharing his concern.

“Yeah, of course. I’d avoid them if it was that bad.”

“Okay.”

“It’s getting easier.” Dongmin’s words are meant for Sanha, more than himself or the others. Sanha nods, offering him a smile.

 

Minhyuk pulls Dongmin aside later into spring, phone in hand. Scrolls to something, that he turns so Dongmin can see. An email from his mother, asking him- and Dongmin- to visit during their upcoming break. Words about discussing their future marriage, that they both know they’ll have to address.

“What do you want us to do, about it?” Dongmin asks, handing the phone back. Minhyuk pauses, frowning at his phone.

“I’m going to ask Bin to go with me, but you should come, too. I want to explain the situation to them. Well, a lot of it.”

“A lot of it.”

“Not the fake-relationship parts.” Minhyuk sighs, putting his phone away. Then, he meets Dongmin’s eyes, smiling. “I wont ask you to lie about your own relationships, just back me up on breaking the engagement. If my parents are convinced, yours will be too.”

“Okay.” Dongmin nods. “By the way…”

“Mhm?”

“How are you and Bin?”

“Good.” Minhyuk’s response may be simple, but his tone- light, genuine, happy- is enough for Dongmin to understand. To be happy for them. “You think it’s too early for me to propose?”

Dongmin knows it’s a joke, but he keeps a straight face when he responds. “Absolutely not. Go for it.”

“Shut up, I was joking.”

“I know.” Dongmin laughs, when Minhyuk rolls his eyes. “But you’re thinking about it already, aren’t you?”

“No?” The questioning tone, and raise in pitch, do little to cover up Minhyuk’s lie. Dongmin shakes his head.

“Mhm, sure.”

“I’m not!”

 

“So you’re leaving for break?” Sanha asks, over lunch, when it’s just him and Dongmin.

“Yeah. Minhyuk’s going to bring up breaking out engagement to his parents, and me and Bin should both me there.”

“But the entire break?”

“I’ll probably go home, after that discussion. Aren’t you going home?”

“For the first week, yeah.” Sanha nods, stuffing a piece of bread into his mouth. Dongmin waits, until he’s able to speak again. “But I have a test I have to make up before it’s over.”

“Did you fail something?”

“Maybe.”

“Sanha.”

“It was just one test, okay!”

“Okay, okay.”

 

Dongmin ends up returning from break earlier than expected, and spends the rest of his break in his dorm. The conversation with Minhyuk’s- and subsequently his own- parents went surprisingly well. Not perfectly, but better than he thought it would. In the end, Minhyuk’s parents said they would accept Minhyuk and Bin’s relationship, and thus break the engagement with Dongmin. As such, there wasn’t much argument Dongmin’s parents could have given, even if they had any.

On the last day before the end of break, when most everyone has returned, but classes haven’t started yet, Dongmin finds himself alone at a cafeteria table with Jinwoo. The silence between them is as awkward as one would expect. Finally, after far too long a silence, Jinwoo breathes a sigh.

“Dongmin?”

“Yeah?”

“We’re still friends, right?”

“Of course.” Dongmin gives a small nods, and Jinwoo mirrors it.

“Okay.”

“Why?”

“If you need to avoid me, you can, you know? I just- if I make you uncomfortable, or being around me is… bad. Then it’s okay-”

“Jinwoo.”

“Huh?”

“I’m okay. If I needed to, I’d avoid you.” Dongmin breathes a sigh, before offering Jinwoo a smile, trying to convey that he’s fine. “You’re my friend, still, I know you’d understand. Don’t worry.”

“Okay.” Before more can be said, Jinwoo’s phone chimes with a message. Dongmin returns to his food, while Jinwoo responds to whoever messaged him. “Hey- uh- I’ve got to go?”

“Myungjun?”

“Oh… yeah.”

“Alright.” Dongmin waves him off, and his concern with it. “Be safe.”

“What does that mean?!”

“What? On your way to wherever Myungjun is, obviously.”

“Right…”

Dongmin laughs, while Jinwoo quickly leaves. The ache is duller, now.

 _When you can say with certainty you wouldn’t choose Jinwoo._  Dongmin isn’t sure he’s reached that point, just yet. Even if his jealousy has faded, the hurt with it, didn’t mean his feelings were just gone. And he it to owes Sanha to be certain.

 

There’s no real reason to, especially considering everything else, but Dongmin avoids Sanha, during the last day before classes start again. Has been avoiding him, since he’s gotten back. It wasn’t like he couldn’t be around Sanha, or didn’t want to be, but he finds himself going out of his way to avoid the other.

 _No one does_ , Dongmin had said that _no one_  liked him, romantically. Not genuinely. There’s a sinking realization settling into his chest that if he hadn’t realized Sanha did, could he have missed something else, too?

“Am I just really stupid?” The words aren’t meant for anyone to answer, but Bin hums agreement from bellow Dongmin’s bunk. “Really?”

“Emotionally dumb.”

“Thanks, Bin.”

“What’s it about?”

“I just- apparently didn’t realize- um- someone had feelings for me, so I wonder if I’m just oblivious?”

“Yeah, definitely.”

“Please, I’m serious.”

“So am I?” A pause. Dongmin sits up, and leans over the edge of his bunk. He can barely see Bin, but he narrows his eyes at the other, anyway.

“What do you mean?”

“You just are.” Dongmin is fairly sure Bin shrugs, dismissing the stress his statement is causing Dongmin.

“What- what about?”

“Huh?”

“What have I been oblivious about?”

“You just said-”

“Yeah but you- did you know about it?”

“Um.”

“Bin! You’re supposed to tell me about stuff like that!”

“It’s not mine to tell you!”

“But you suck at keeping secrets!”

“Hey!” Bin huffs. “Besides!”

“Besides?”

“You’re in love with someone else so why would I? Or anyone?”

“I’m no-” _not in love with Jinwoo_. Dongmin pauses, shaking his head. Isn’t he, though? If he wasn’t, then it wouldn’t ache anymore, right? Isn't that how it's supposed to work? “Fine, I guess that’s true. But you knew?”

“About which?”

“What?”

“I mean- yes.”

“No- Bin- there’s more than one?!”

“No?” Bin clears his throat, pitch too high. “Not anymore?”

“Oh my god. I _am_  stupid.”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t agree with me.”

 

It’s a few months later, four months after the beginning of the quickly-failed plan. Everyone has fallen back into old habits, with some added elements- due to relationships- mixed in. At one of their bi-weekly lunches, Sanha glances at Minhyuk and Bin, then at Jinwoo and Myungjun, then blanches and leans against Dongmin.

“God you’re all so gross.”

“What does that mean?!” Myungjun pauses, hand halfway to lifting sandwich to face.

“Old _and_  in love.”

“I’m a _year_ older than you,” Minhyuk mutters. Sanha shrugs.

“Old.”

Dongmin shoves Sanha away from him, rolling his eyes. “What am I then?”

“Very old.”

“What am I, a grandpa?” Myungjun huffs, Jinwoo laughs next to him, only to get shoved, barely remaining in his seat. Dongmin’s attention is drawn, then, to Bin throwing a discarded wrapper at Sanha.

“What’s that for? Can’t handle the truth?”

“I’m going to strangle you.”

“Mean.” Sanha breaths a heavy sigh. “This is bullying.”

“You deserve it.” Minhyuk shrugs. Sanhas gasps, then turns his expression to a pout.

“Dongmin! Defend me!”

“Why me?”

“Um, because you love me, obviously?” Sanha seems to realize too late that the joke no longer comes off the same way, since confessions.

“Bold of you to assume that changes anything.”

A moment of relief, before Sanha’s pout turns to a frown. “Fine. You’re all old, and gross, _and_  mean.”

“Fair.” Dongmin rolls his eyes. To his right, Myungjun reaches over the table- past Dongmin- to swat at Sanha’s head. Sanha makes a screeching noise, leaning away and towards Bin, who moves so Sanha falls.

“You’re all awful!”

“You _started_  this,” Jinwoo points out.

 _Because you love me, obviously._ Dongmin watches as Sanha jumps to his feet, so he can move around the table and jump at Myungjun, knocking them both into Jinwoo. Minhyuk points out that they are both _in public_ , and in _the cafeteria_ , but goes ignore by everyone except Bin, who pats his shoulder. And, at once, Dongmin is overwhelmed by the fact that Sanha was _right_. Joking, but completely correct.

Jinwoo pushes Sanha and Myungjun off of himself, and Dongmin finds his attention on Sanha, laughing far too loudly.

At once, it’s far too obvious, and far too much to deal with. He’d choose Sanha. Definitely, and without hesitation, and _right now_. Words try to bubble to the surface at once, despite all logic telling him it’s not really the time for such a thing.

Or does it matter? Everyone else will know anyway, so does it matter when or how he says it? He puts a hand to his face, covers his mouth and stares at the table. Or maybe that’s embarrassing and something he should wait to say.

Sanha finally sits back at the table, next to Dongmin, but on his right, now, between Dongmin and Myungjun. And he could, easily just...say it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should Dongmin **Confess now** or **Wait**?
> 
> gee i hope someones still going to read this whoops.  
> sorry, i've been working on a visual novel (thats kinda like my other voted stories)
> 
> anyway not relevant: but stan ONF  
> blah  
> okay thats it


	10. Conclusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bin grins. “You really did fall for your fake boyfriend, huh?”  
> “I’m about to murder my not-fake one.” Minhyuk’s glare doesn’t affect Bin, who only laughs.  
> “But then how will you marry him?”  
> “Necromancy.”  
> “Please don’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> majority vote: confess now
> 
> ITS HERE. the final chapter y'all. <3 thanks for sticking with it.

Sanha is in the midst of trying to stifle his laughter, when he turns to face Dongmin. Meets the other’s eyes, sees Dongmin covering his mouth, even though his smiling behind it is obvious. Opens his own mouth, to question Dongmin, and is cut off by Dongmin’s voice.

Light, but clear. Quiet, but filled with honesty. “I’d choose you.”

“Wha-” Sanha blinks, mouth falling open as he tries to process this. _When you can say with certainty you wouldn’t choose Jinwoo,_  Sanha had said. _When you would choose me_ , he had meant. Sanha is only vaguely aware of the silence that’s hit their group. Stark contrast to moments before, but no less warm.

“I’d choose you. With certainty.” Dongmin’s expression is softer than most of his are. It hits Sanha with a force so different from that. Harsh, but _good_ , the realization sinks in. He’d choose Sanha. He’d choose Sanha over Jinwoo.

“With certainty.” Sanha repeats. Stares. Hears Myungjun whispering to Jinwoo, asking if he knows what’s going on. Minhyuk is laughing, muffled into Bin’s shoulder. Sanha doesn’t care.

“Absolutely.”

“I-” Sanha can’t seem to _speak_. So he reaches out, grabs the sleeve of Dongmin’s shirt, and nods. Squeaks out the word, “okay.”

Dongmin laughs. Sanha move to protest this, but is cut off again. “I love you.”

“Oh.” But he already knew that. “I love you, too.” Finally, Sanha forces words out. Dongmin’s laughter continues, muffled behind his hand. It’s not _funny_ , really, but Sanha finds himself laughing, too. Honest, quiet.

“Now who’s the gross ones?” Minhyuk asks, hiding behind Bin when Sanha tosses a plastic fork at him.

“Still you!” And, at once, the moment’s broken. Lighter, more normal.

* * *

“You know,” Sanha starts. They’re back in that restaurant. The one just off campus. The one where, months earlier now, everything started. “Maybe I really am a genius.”

“You realize I have no idea what you’re talking about?” Dongmin asks, leaning against the table, head tilted.

“The plan!”

“It didn’t work.”

“Not for _you_ , maybe.”

“Oh, I see. It was all a ploy to make me fall for you, instead?”

“...Yes.” Sanha nods.

“You’re lying.”

“Am not.”

“You’re bad at it.”

“Whatever!” Sanha breathes a huff. Dongmin finds himself smiling. “Everything worked out.”

“Mhm.” Dongmin nods. “By the way, I’ve been wondering.”

“Yeah?”

“Was that really…it. The mutual gain.”

“Oh, kind of.” Sanha looks away, face turning to a frown. For a second, Dongmin is concerned, but Sanha shakes his head, and his frown away with it. “I was kind of just, making it up. There really _wasn’t_  any, but I did want to spend more time with you. Maybe- um- I just didn’t know how bad it was, at the time.”

“Mhm.” Dongmin hums. “What would you have done if it had worked?”

“Moved on.” Sanha shrugs, but there’s concern on his face.

“Well… I’m glad it didn’t.” It had hurt, a lot. He had hurt, a lot. But, in the end, this result wasn’t bad. Wasn’t the _goal_ , but an outcome he can accept. One he appreciates.

Over the course of their lives, people will have many goals. Life long goals, hour long goals, minute to minute goals. Ones that are easy to accomplish or impossible. Realistic, unfulfilled, or even ones that turn out to be mistakes, at the end. Dongmin has had a lot of goals, himself, over his life.

Over the past half a year.

Date Jinwoo: an unfulfilled goal, a mistake.

Make Jinwoo jealous: the goal that was wrongly placed.

Get Bin and Minhyuk together: accomplished.

Break his engagement: accomplished, because of the former.

Strangely, the one thing that _wasn’t_  a goal, was the one thing he was the most happy about.

“Dongmin?” Sanha waves a hand in front of Dongmin’s face, gaining his attention.

“Huh? Yeah?”

“Something wrong?”

“No, no. Opposite.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing. You were saying?”

“Oh! Did you know-”

* * *

 _"Which isn’t even fair, because I liked Minhyuk first.”_  Bin watches as Sanha clings to Dongmin’s side, purposefully trying to annoy the other, who seems to be one second from pushing Sanha out of his seat. Jinwoo and Myungjun aren’t around, having classes, so it’s just the four of them, with Minhyuk. Bin wonders, silently, when that had happened. Sanha had already had feelings for Dongmin, when he said that, but when had it started? When had he stopped liking Minhyuk? Was it before or after Bin _had?_

Why did that matter to him?

Minhyuk elbows Bin, not hard enough to hurt but enough to make him jump. Motions towards the exit, in silently question. “Yeah.”

“We’re leaving.” Minhyuk announces to the other two. Dongmin nods, and Sanha grins, waving.

“Be safe!”

“What does that even mean. We’re on campus.” Sanha’s laughter in response has Minhyuk jumping to his feet, all false threats that Sanha laughs more at. With a sigh, Minhyuk gathers his stuff, stalking out of the cafeteria, faux anger leaving the other two unaffected. Bin suppresses laughter, following suit.

“See you guys!”

“We do live together,” Dongmin points out, and Bin rolls his eyes.

“So?” Minhyuk turns back to Bin, once they’re outside. Without discussion, they start the walk towards the former’s dorm.

“So?”

“What’s on your mind, Bin?”

Bin hums, considering how to say it. “Do you think- if Sanha had liked you, before we started dating, you would have-”

“No.”

“-Chosen him. Or Dongmin- Um?”

“Bin. No.” Minhyuk sighs, grabbing his hand. “But you’re starting to sound like Sanha.”

“Hm?”

“Don’t you know what that was about, before?”

“Which before?”

“When those two got together.”

“Oh, no?” Bin listens as Minhyuk explains what he knows- what Sanha told him- about their original confessions to each other. Why Dongmin had said, _“I’d choose you,_ ” when he confessed to Sanha. “Oh.”

“Bin, even if that was the case, I chose you. Does it matter now?”

“It’s just…” Bin frowns, refuses to meet Minhyuk eyes. “I basically tricked you into dating me.”

“That’s an exaggeration. And we _weren’t_  dating, until after you told me.”

“I guess.”

“What’s gotten into you?”

“I’m really bad at keeping secrets.”

“I know.”

“So- uh- weren’t my feelings obvious, before?” Didn’t Minhyuk know, before they got together?

“I’m going to tell you something, and you’re not allowed to laugh.”

“O-okay?”

“I’m not always smart.”

“Huh?”

“I didn’t notice, no.”

Bin laughs, Minhyuk kicks his leg. “Sorry. Sorry.” At once, any tension between them is gone, replaced by a light feeling that rests in Bin’s chest.

“Besides…”

“Besides?”

“You know- um- I thought- well-”

“Minhyuk?” Bin stops, grips Minhyuk’s hand tighter as he pulls the other to a stop, too. It’s embarrassment that covers the other’s face, and Bin tries not to smile at it, expression muted. Waits for Minhyuk to form a proper sentence. Something he only manages while looking away from Bin.

“Not- like- any time soon, or anything… but… I want to… marry you?”

“Oh.” Bin blinks, looks away from Minhyuk, then back at him. His face feels warm, and he tries not to think too much about how the two of them look. Red faced and unable to look at each other.

“Don’t just say, “oh,” Bin!”

“Sorry; I was surprised!”

“You shouldn’t be!” Minhyuk huffs, finally meeting Bin’s eyes. “I broke my engagement for you.”

“Didn’t you-”

“I didn’t have to at that point.”

“Right.” Bin nods, then laughs. “We’re very dumb.”

“Huh?”

“Look at us.”

“Oh, right.” Minhyuk laughs, too. Returns to Bin’s side, knocking their shoulders together, before they continue walking.

“So you want to marry me?”

“Shut up, please.”

“No, no. I want to marry you too!” Bin grins. “You really did fall for your fake boyfriend, huh?”

“I’m about to murder my not-fake one.” Minhyuk’s glare doesn’t affect Bin, who only laughs.

“But then how will you marry him?”

“Necromancy.”

“Please don’t.”

* * *

“Let’s go to dinner.”

“I’m broke, MJ.” The words are familiar, and Myungjun laughs at them.

“I’m paying, dork.”

“Oh?” Jinwoo looks away from his school work, eyebrow raised. “But I thought I was supposed to take you out?”

“Don’t kill me.”

“Other kind.” Jinwoo rolls his eyes. “You do all the walking-me-to-class romance, I take you to dinner.”

“But you’re broke.”

“Yeah.” Jinwoo nods. “So are you?”

“Fast food.”

“Romantic.”

“I know. We’ve already established I’m the romantic one, didn’t we?”

“Did we?”

“Jinwoo, please.”

“ _Yes, you’re to romantic one, Myungjun_. That’s what you want me to say?”

“Yes.” Myungjun grins. “Seriously. Dinner.”

“Okay.” Jinwoo nods. Stretches his arms out over his head, before standing up. He gathers his stuff, before turning to offer Myungjun his hand. “This time, I’ll walk you.”

“Aw, you do love me.”

“Obviously.”

“Obviously.” Myungjun repeats, laughing. “That sounds familiar.”

“It’s not my fault you’re oblivious!”

“I am not!”

“You really didn’t notice I was in love with you for years?”

“Well…no.”

“Oblivious.”

“You didn’t either!”

“Yeah, but I never said I wasn’t.”

“Oblivious and bad at romance. What a pair.” Myungjun jumps a step ahead of Jinwoo, spinning to face the other as they walk, still hand in hand. “We’re peak romance.”

“Oh, of course.” Jinwoo laughs, tugging at Myungjun’s hand to put them side-by-side again. “Now, dear master of romance, where too?”

“Whats cheapest?”

“Peak romance.” Jinwoo repeats, between chuckles. Myungjun ignores the laughter, grinning.

“I know. Don’t get too flustered.”

“Oh, I don’t- don’t know that I can manage. You’re just _so_  romantic.” Jinwoo’s laughter gets worse, Myungjun’s grin larger with it.

“Yes, aren’t you lucky?”

“Definitely.” The honesty in Jinwoo’s tone startles Myungjun. He falters, stumbling a step, before falling back into rhythm.

“Really?” Myungjun doesn’t mean the word to come out as quietly as it does.

“Huh?” Jinwoo turns, surprised. “Of course.”

“Oh.”

“Myungjun?”

“Well, of course.” Myungjun forces laughter out, looking away. “I am pretty great. Um- you- you’re not so bad yourself, either, of course.”

“Thanks?” Myungjun catches Jinwoo’s frown in the corner of his vision. “You okay?”

“You ever feel like we’ve barely changed?”

Jinwoo hums, nodding. “You mean since we started dating?”

“Yeah.”

“We _were_ basically dating already.” They used to joke about it, all the time. Myungjun doesn’t need Jinwoo to remind him of that, to understand. “I don’t think we _need_  to change that much.”

“Right.” Myungjun nods, then laughs. “We really should find an opportunity to go on a _real_  date.”

“Probably.” Jinwoo nods.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

* * *

Approximately six months after the incident, Dongmin bursts into Sanha’s dorm with the words, _“Is that why you got drunk?!”_ He makes a mental note to lecture Sanha on the fact he never locks his dorm, while Sanha holds his chest, staring at Dongmin wide-eyed.

“You scared the heck out of me!” Dongmin tries very hard not to laugh at the word _heck_. “Is _what_ why I did _what?”_

“The- um- feelings and our no-good plan that worsened them.”

“You can just say, because I was _in love with you,_  like a normal person.”

“Sanha!”

“Maybe!” Sanha throws his hands up. “It was half a year ago! Let it go! I wont do it again, geeze.”

“I should hope not.”

“Did you _just_  realize that?”

“Maybe?”

Sanha laughs, squeaking out the words, “that’s really sad.”

 

People having many goals, throughout their lives. They vary in ease to accomplish, time it will take, how much they matter. Dongmin has had a lot of goals he failed to complete, many he managed, and many that he shouldn’t have aimed for to start with.

Things that were never goals, that maybe should have been.

Dongmin is okay, though, with the outcome of all of these things. Has accepted them. Decided that, in the end, the results were worth whatever he went through.

Dongmin has a new goal, one he shares with Sanha, one late evening. “So I think we should get married before Bin and Minhyuk can.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes! They can’t win.”

“Is this a competition?”

“Yes.”

“Because I think if any of us are going to be the first to get married, it’s Jinwoo and Myungjun.”

“They’ve been married for like six years, they don’t count.”

“Wow, I didn’t think you noticed.”

“How could I not?”

“I mean- you did want to date one of them.”

“Which is exactly why I noticed. Anyway, that's not the point.”

“Beating Bin and Minhyuk, I know. Just seems like a dumb reason to get married. You’re supposed to do that for- you know- _love_.”

“I do love you,” Dongmin says, sincerely. “I just also love to win.”

“I can’t believe you.”

“Look a wrote a new plan and everything-”

“Does _this one_  involve fake dating?”

“You didn’t help me make it, so no.”

“Hey.” Sanha pouts.

“Did you _want_  it to?”

“Probably not.”

“So-”

“We’re not getting married.” A pause. “Y-yet?”

“Yet?”

“You know… I mean- eventually…”

Dongmin laughs, Sanha pouts more. “Okay, okay.”

“Besides if they get married first, they can’t win on who has the _better_  wedding.”

“Sanha _you’re so right_. A genius even.”

“I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with this guys. <3
> 
> um..........i don't actually have much to say for once. I wrote an original story if anyone would be interested in that? (its got magic but no romance so)
> 
> blah.
> 
> thank you for reading.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always greatly appreciated!


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